The Christmas Wish
by monocracy
Summary: Edward makes a wish without realizing the consequences and has a Christmas he will never forget. A seasonal romantic comedy that features Edward, Bella, and the rest of the Forks' crew. Pre-Breaking Dawn.
1. Chapter 1

**The Christmas Wish  
**

By **Monocracy**

PG-13

Edward/Bella

**Summery**: Inspired by The Velveteen Rabbit and Our Town. Edward makes a wish without realizing the consequences.

**Spoilers and Author's Notes**: No spoilers – This is written as close to canon as I can manage while taking into account the fact that Bella never actually shared a Christmas with Edward while in high school. If this were canon, it would take place pre-engagement and post New Moon (Edward leaving notwithstanding) so one can recognize the stage of Edward and Bella's relationship. I've taken some artistic liberties, as Bella's humanity is crucial. This story is meant to be light-hearted and taken with a grain of salt..

Oh, and I don't own the title or rights to Twilight. Or The Velveteen Rabbit. Or Our Town. Right. As you were.

* * *

**Saturday, December 18****th****, 9:02 AM**

Bella woke up feeling unusually warm. She adjusted her position to accommodate the familiar weight of Edward's arm draped over her stomach. Normally he didn't hold her like that for the entire night, but she certainly wasn't going to complain. She inched her body closer to Edward's and nestled into his chest. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and glanced at the clock on the nightstand.

9:02 AM

"Crap!" In her haste to get up, Bella got tangled in her blankets and fell off the bed. "Ouch!" she exclaimed, rubbing the side of her head that hit the edge of her nightstand. "Edward," She scrambled to get up, tripping more than once in the process, and blinked owlishly. "Why didn't you wake me up? You know we have to meet your family at 9:30. I still have to take a shower and eat breakfast and…."

Bella trailed off looking at the motionless lump on her bed. She scratched her head and frowned. Edward must have climbed under the covers with her sometime during that night, which was highly unusual. The remaining sheet on the bed was draped over his body, and the only sign he was alive was the steady rise and fall of his chest. A few bronze tufts of hair were sticking out from under the sheet, and looked unusually untidy--especially for Edward. "Edward?" she whispered hesitantly. A growing feeling of unease spread through her and she reached out to touch the still body. She tugged the sheet down and touched the flesh of his forearm. She gasped when she felt not the hard coolness she was expecting, but soft warmth. "Edward!" Bella's voice edged on hysteric and she shook her boyfriend's sleeping form.

"Bells? Is everything okay, sweetie?" Bella froze as she heard her father start to open her bedroom door. She could have kicked herself for being so thoughtless in forgetting Charlie's presence.

She leapt to her feet and threw her blankets over the Edward-shaped bump on the bed. "I'm fine, Dad!" She ran to the door to prevent her father from coming in. "I'll be out in a minute, okay? I'm not decent yet."

The door stopped opening, but Charlie's hesitation was near palpable through the door. "Are you sure? I thought I heard you fall and call out Edward's name."

Bella resisted the urge to knock her head into the wall. Out of all Saturdays, why did Charlie choose this Saturday to take the afternoon shift? "I was talking to him on the phone, Dad, and tripped over my blankets. Edward started laughing at me so I was yelling at him to stop." She heard Charlie's chuckle and knew he had bought her story.

"Alright, honey. Are you and the Cullen's still going Christmas shopping today?"

Bella looked over at her bed and saw her now-awake boyfriend looking at her rather alarmed. "Yes…erm…" Bella paused as Edward started poking at his arm and pulling at the creamy flesh. His face was a cross between incredulous shock and disbelief. "I mean, I think so." She paused again when Edward looked up at her and mouthed _How am I going to get out of here?_ Bella's felt adrenaline course through her veins and her heart pound. "Yes," she said again, with more conviction this time. "They should be here to pick me up at 9:30." The alarm on Edward's face returned. _What?_ He mouthed furiously. Bella frowned and mouthed back, _What was I supposed to say?_ Edward returned the frown but didn't respond. Bella closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, trying to return her calm.

She could hear Charlie digging in his pocket and dreaded the coming question. "Do you need any money?" She heard the rustling of bills.

Bella rolled her eyes. Money was the last thing on her mind at the present moment. "No thank you, Dad, I'm fine. Actually, if you don't mind, I really need to start getting ready. I accidentally slept in and Alice is going to be here in twenty minutes. I still have to shower, eat breakfast, and all that jazz. I'll see you downstairs, okay?"

"Okay, Bell. I'll see you downstairs." She heard Charlie's retreating footsteps and rushed to the side of her bed. Her boyfriend's startled eyes – green eyes – scared her. "Edward, what…how…" she trailed off and took his warm face between her hands. "Edward?" she whispered.

"I need to call Carlisle." His voice was quiet, and cracked slightly. Bella nodded mutely and handed him her mobile. Before he could start dialing, the phone came to life and started vibrating in his hand. "Carlisle," he said simply as he flipped the device open.

**Friday, December 17****th****, 10:43 PM **

Bella's head rested in Edward's lap, as he sat and read her new copy of The Historian. She herself was reading an old, tattered copy of The Velveteen Rabbit. Edward was looking at Bella as much as he was the text on his page. She was entirely engrossed in what she was reading—a children's book by the looks of it. Edward was puzzled as to why Bella would be so absorbed in a children's book and finally broke the silence to ask. "Why are you reading a children's book?"

Bella frowned. She closed her book, marking the page with her finger, and arched her neck to look up at her boyfriend. "This _children's_ book happens to be my favorite thing to read during the holiday season," Bella snapped.

Edward's eyes widened slightly, not realizing he had stepped in quicksand, and quickly backtracked. "I wasn't criticizing your choice of reading, love, I was merely curious as to the appeal it obviously holds for you. It's looks well read, judging by the state the cover is in, so I was simply curious as to why."

Bella's face softened, and she looked at the jacket of the book fondly. "Renee used to read this to me when I was a child. I loved the story so much that it sort of became a Christmas tradition. I read it every year when Christmas comes around. It's one of the few things of the season I look forward to."

Edward frowned slightly at Bella's last sentence, but let it pass. She would tell him in due time. "What is it about?"

Bella sat up and looked at her boyfriend curiously. "You've not read it?"

Edward's brow furrowed. "No," he said warily. "Should I have?"

"No," she said quickly. "I'm just surprised, that's all. I thought this story was around when you were a kid."

Edward shook his head. "If it was, I don't remember it. I think the first time I ever noticed it was in the eighties; department stores were using it as their Christmas mascot, so I steered clear. When was it published?"

Bella removed her finger placeholder and looked at the copyright page. "1922."

"I just missed it, then." Edward smiled with chagrin.

"Would you like to read it?" Bella asked, ready to hand the book over.

"No, I want you to read it to me like Renee would you." Edward's eyes sparkled and he shamelessly used his abilities to persuade her.

Bella's answering smile warmed his heart. "Okay," she said quietly.

oOo

Over the next hour, he let her sweet, melodic voice wash over him as she read her favorite Christmas tale. When she was finished, she placed the book in her lap, held his face in her hands, and kissed him gently on the lips. "Perhaps now you understand why to me, you are very much alive."

Edward closed his eyes and smiled. He took her hands from his face and placed them on his chest where his heart should be. "Because of your love, I have never felt more alive." He held on to her hands, reveling in her warmth. Her heartbeat was steady and strong, and a rhythmic comfort to him. "But I wish more than anything that I could be real, for you." He took a deep breath and sighed. When he opened his eyes, he was surprised to see Bella's eyes glossy with unshed tears. He cupped her face with his palms and stroked her cheek with the pad of his thumb. "What's wrong? I didn't mean to upset you."

"Edward," her voice was barely a whisper. Nevertheless, it was loud and clear to him and laced with more than a little pain, "you _are_ real."

He smiled sadly. "I mean alive. Human. Warm. Normal."

Bella shook her head furiously. "No! I love you just the way you are. To me, you are perfect."

"Perfect without a heart?" he retorted quickly.

"What difference does it make when it is your soul that matters?" The unconcealed love shining in her eyes cut at him. He opened his mouth to respond, but her warm finger pressed against his lips silencing him. "I'm not in the mood to debate the state of your soul tonight. I only want you to understand that I love you just the way you are."

Edward sighed, trying to figure out how to put his thoughts into words. "I know you do, and you have no idea what that means to me. All I am saying is that when I kiss you, I don't want to be afraid of accidentally cutting you with my teeth. When I hold you, I don't want to be thinking about trying not to crush you. When I put my arms around you, I want you to feel warmth, not a block of ice. When I'm with you, I want to smell _you_, not your blood." He gathered Bella in his arms and cradled her close. "And most important of all, I don't want to turn you into a monster to be my equal," he whispered finally.

Bella kissed his jaw and worked her way to his lips. "I won't pretend I understand, because I don't. Nevertheless, I do understand your wish to be something more than you are. Believe it or not, that is a desire is human." She reached up to kiss his forehead. "You are more human than you give yourself credit for, love. Your heart might not be beating and there might not be blood in your veins but you are alive and here with me, and tonight, that's all that matters."

If Edward had a beating heart, it would have swelled with joy from her words. He plucked the book from her lap and placed it gently on her nightstand. "I think that's enough reading for tonight, don't you? Charlie's already asleep and you should be too. After all, you get to endure—I mean spend—the day with my crazy family carting you around Seattle tomorrow, so you're going to need all the energy you have." He lit a tea candle on her nightstand and turned the lamp off.

She giggled and snuggled closer to him. He reveled in the feel of her arms wrapped around him and pulled her closer. "Don't you dare tell Alice, but I'm actually looking forward to tomorrow. I honestly don't remember the last time I spent the holidays with actual snow, and I'm excited to see all of the decorations downtown. I have a feeling that tomorrow is going to be a great day." Her eyes were closed, but he could hear the excitement in her voice. He kissed her forehead and inhaled her sweet scent.

"I won't tell her if you won't tell her that _I'm_ excited for tomorrow as well. This is the first holiday I've been excited about in a long long time."

Bella squeezed him gently and responded, her voice muffled in his chest. "Me too," she whispered. Her breathing started evening out and he could hear her heartbeat slow as she slipped into sleep.

"Dream sweet, my beautiful fairy," he murmured soft enough not to be heard. He watched the light from the candle dance on her creamy skin and hair and yearned to trace the patterns of light on her skin. In all of his years as a vampire, and perhaps even before, he had never felt warmer. It was almost as if time had slowed and there was nothing else in the world. He stayed frozen like that for hours, not moving unless Bella's shifting position required it. As the hours passed, the candle slowly began to flicker out. The light was now fading to a pale blue and it no longer cast a glow on his angel's skin. He considered lighting another candle, selfishly wanting to watch his angel sleep a little bit longer, but decided to let the darkness come. It was something he was used to, and dawn was only a few hours off. He listened to the candle's wick give it's last stand and fizzle into oblivion.

_And everything went dark._


	2. Chapter 2

**Saturday, December 18****th****, 9:14 AM**

Edward slammed the small device shut in exasperation and leaned back on the mattress.

"That was a short conversation," Bella said, moving to sit on the edge of the bed. She placed her hand on his knee and gave what she hoped would be a comforting squeeze. "What did he have to say?"

Edward pinched the bridge of his nose and sealed his eyes shut. "Nothing of worth; just to sit tight and wait for them to come pick you up. Alice is going to distract Charlie with a plate of cookies she's bringing and while they're in the kitchen, I'm going to sneak down the stairs and act like I just arrived." Bella nodded. After an awkward moment of silence, she laid her head down on Edward's chest. She closed her eyes and focused on the unfamiliar warmth radiating off of his skin and listened to the heartbeat she had never before heard.

"Is this really happening?" Bella whispered. It was now 9:26 and she was still in her pajamas. She didn't want to move her head from Edward's chest, and he didn't make her. She wondered if the sound she was hearing was really there, or if it was something out of a startlingly realistic dream.

"You know, I've been asking myself the same thing since I _woke up_. I can't help but wonder if I've finally gone 'round the twist and this is the manifestation of my insanity." Bella ignored Edward's dramatics and looked into his green eyes searching for an emotion other than sarcasm and frustration. She thought she saw a fledgling of fear, but wasn't certain.

"Are you mad? About what's happened, I mean," She asked cautiously. She traced her index finger along his jaw and marveled at the softness beneath her flesh.

"Mad? How could I possibly be mad? I'm feeling more than a little nihilistic, but not mad--never mad." A slow smile spread across his face and Bella was pleased to note that his teeth were as gloriously white as ever. "For the first time since I've met you I can bite you without killing you." A playful sparkle entered his eyes and he scooped her up into his arms. She squealed in surprise, trying to keep her voice down so as to not arouse Charlie's suspicions any more than she already had. She gasped when she felt his non-lethal teeth bite down on her neck, followed by his warm tongue soothing the bite. "You cannot possibly understand how badly I've wanted to do that," he murmured against her neck. His voice was like rich cocoa and his hot breath gave her goose bumps.

"I think I have an idea," Her own breathy response was one of anticipation and a small moan escaped slipped out when Edward began trailing hot kisses down her naked shoulder.

"Bella!" Charlie hollered from downstairs, shattering their moment. "The Cullen's just pulled up into the driveway."

Bella pinched her eyes shut and groaned. "Shoot," she muttered, disappointed. "I'll be right down," she shouted so Charlie could hear her downstairs. She looked at Edward, then said softly, "I'll see you downstairs? I imagine you and Alice already know how things are going to go, so I'll just let you do your thing." She kissed Edward's head and pulled away from him reluctantly. She grabbed the jeans she was wearing last night, an old ASU sweatshirt from her dresser and walked to the bathroom.

When she got downstairs, things looked surprisingly normal, all things considered. Edward and Carlisle were standing off to the side of the front door talking in hushed tones, and she could make out Alice's pixie-like voice in the kitchen addressing Charlie. When she reached the bottom stair, Edward and Carlisle ceased talking and turned to look at her. Carlisle smiled and moved to kiss her cheek. "Good morning, Bella."

"Good morning, Carlisle." Bella smiled fondly. She moved to Edward and gave him a brief peck on the lips. "How is everyone this morning?"

"Enlivened," Edward quipped, a smirk planted firmly on his lips.

"Yes, so it would seem," Bella responded, smiling. She couldn't stop looking at her boyfriend, taking in all of the differences. Somehow, he looked even more beautiful now than he ever had before. His hair was tousled and sticking up at odd angles, his cheeks were flushed with warmth, and his clothing was rumpled from the night before. If she didn't know where he had been and what he had been doing, she would have wondered if his evening activities were less than honorable.

"Edward and I will meet you in the car, Bella," Carlisle spoke, tearing her attention away from staring at Edward. "Have a good day, Charlie," he called out louder. "I promise to have her home safe and sound tomorrow evening. Thank you for allowing her to accompany us to Seattle for the weekend."

_Weekend?_ Bella mouthed at Edward. He merely shrugged, his lips still set in a cocky grin. She let it go, glad to not have to worry about curfew. Charlie walked back into the hallway then, smiling and blushing. She idly wondered what Alice had been up to in there with him to cause his embarrassment. "Sounds good, Carlisle. You kids have fun today." He paused, then hastily added, "And drive safely; it's supposed to snow tonight." The last part sounding more like a public service announcement from the Chief of Police than fatherly advice. Bella couldn't help but roll her eyes.

Carlisle nodded, extending his hand politely. "We will." Charlie met Carlisle's outstretched hand and shook it firmly. The errant thought of whether or not Charlie noticed his cold, hard skin floated through her mind before she belatedly realized Carlisle was wearing leather gloves that were the color of melted butter. Bella was shaken from her reverie when Alice practically danced into the hallway and placed a theatrical kiss on her cheek.

"Don't even pretend like you're not going to love today," Alice quipped confidently. "For I am all knowing and all powerful." She wiggled her fingers at Bella as one would at Halloween if they were covered in a sheet cosplaying a ghost.

Bella rolled her eyes dramatically and laughed as she grabbed her coat from the coat rack. She moved over to Charlie and gave him an uncustomary kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow, Dad."

Charlie's blush deepened. If the Cullen's ever wondered where she got that trait from, now they knew. "I love you too, sweetheart. Be safe." Bella nodded and walked out of the house.

oOo

Carlisle was barely a block from Bella's house before Alice turned in her seat to face her and Edward in the back. "For the love of God, Edward, what have you gotten yourself into now?" She asked in an accusatory manner. "You're lucky I saw that you were trapped or Charlie would have made ground beef out of you. You can't even begin to imagine the scenarios I saw play out in my head. Not pleasant, brother."

Edward rolled his eyes. "Thank you, Alice. Truly, I would not—could not—have been complete without the knowledge how much Chief Swan wants to murder me." He folded his arms across his chest and looked up to the front of the car in a petulant manner. "And how on earth am I supposed to know what's happened? You're the psychic, you tell me."

"Psychic? What does being psychic have to do with the predicament you've gotten yourself into?" Alice's face was the perfect picture of confusion. "Just because I could see it happening doesn't mean I know how or why it did."

"Then why must you insist upon assuming that I've done this to myself? _How_ could I have done this to myself? It's not like this is something that—" Edward was gearing up for one of his famous long-winded rants when Carlisle's gentle voice interrupted.

"Edward, Alice, I'm sure there is a perfectly logical explanation for what's going on."

"A logical explanation?" Edward fired back incredulously. "Oh yes, because falling asleep and waking up human when you've been a _vampire_ for the last 80 years is completely logical."

Alice turned from Edward to Carlisle with a grin on her face. "I'm afraid I'm with Edward on this one, Carlisle. This entire situation is pretty off the charts. Just wait until the others get a load of you, Edward. They're going to freak out."

Edward's eyes widened, and his grip on Bella's hand tightened. "You mean they don't know yet?"

"No," Carlisle answered. "Alice and I felt it would be…," he paused for a tick, "_prudent_ if we surveyed the situation first before we informed the others. She wasn't certain about her vision and I didn't want to alarm the others before I had a grasp of what was going on."

Edward pursed his lips together, but didn't respond. The car lapsed into an uncomfortable silence. Edward was looking out the window and Bella was looking at Edward while Carlisle pulled into the familiar driveway of his home. He parked the car but didn't get out. After a brief pause, he finally spoke. "Let's not jump to any conclusions until we know what's going on, okay? I'm sure stranger things have happened; we simply need to research and find out." He turned in his seat to look Edward straight on. "Until then, you've been given a gift that is beyond all measure. I suggest you enjoy every minute of it while you can." His eyes were kind and Bella felt instantly at ease. She never tired of seeing Carlisle's infinite compassion. He was truly a diamond among men—and vampires.

Edward nodded and smiled, then turned to look at Bella. "I will," he said, his eyes not leaving her face as he spoke.

Alice cleared her throat. "I hate to be the one to break up the moment we seem to have going on in here, but does this mean our trip to Seattle is called off?"

Everyone looked at the frowning girl and laughed. "I don't think so, Alice," Edward answered. "Delayed, yes, but I see no reason to call it off. You've been prattling on about it for ages and it would be cruel to call it off."

Sensing the impending explosion, Bella and Carlisle quickly got out of the car. As they exited, they could hear Alice's infuriated shout, "I don't _prattle_, Edward Anthony, I _enthuse_."

**oOo**

All of the Cullen's and Bella were sitting in the living room of the Cullen's spacious house, staring at Edward with varying degrees of disbelief and shock. Not used to being under such close scrutiny, Edward fidgeted and scratched the back of his head. "Will everyone please stop staring?" he asked finally. "It's rather unnerving."

"We're sorry, dear," Esme's sweet voice answered. "It's just that, save Carlisle, none of us have ever seen you human before. Not to mention the fact that the situation is rather unusual." Emmett snorted, causing Edward to glare at him.

Carlisle stood up and began pacing in front of the panes of glass that overlooked their back yard. "What did you do last night? Was there anything out of the ordinary? What is the last thing you remember before you…fell asleep?" Carlisle stopped pacing and stroked his chin thoughtfully. "How are you feeling?"

"I don't know," Edward answered honestly. "We were laying in Bella's bed reading--nothing out of the ordinary there. It was just after midnight when Bella fell asleep. I remember lying awake, feeling unusually warm, and watching a tea candle flicker and burn. I'm not sure, but I think it was around 3 AM when it went out. I remember hearing the fizzle and pop of the wick when it died, and then everything went dark. That's the last thing I remember before Bella screamed at me this morning." He paused thoughtfully.

"I wasn't screaming!" Bella snapped. "How would _you_ react if I suddenly woke up a vampire with out any prior notice?"

Edward grinned and kissed his agitated girlfriend on the crown of her head. "I didn't say I didn't want to be woken up that way. I simply stated that your voice was a little louder than what would normally be considered an indoor voice." Bella sank back into the couch cushion and pouted. Edward grinned wider and pulled her closer to his side. She didn't object to the closeness, but she didn't look at him either. "As for how I feel," Edward continued, "I'm not certain. I feel a bit ill, to tell the truth."

Carlisle ignored the outburst and continued. "Ill? How so? And was there anything out of the ordinary that you were reading or discussing?"

Bella's eyes widened as she sat up straight. "Now that you mention it, we _were_ talking about the state of Edward's humanity last night. I was reading The Velveteen Rabbit, which brought up a conversation on the perception of reality and the state of liveliness." Bella's voice got suddenly quiet, "Edward, you…"

"Yes, I am quite familiar with what I said, Bella." He interrupted. "But I don't see how discussing a children's book could have caused…this to happen."

"What did you say, Edward?" Alice prodded.

Edward frowned. "I may have expressed a desire to be human so I didn't have to worry about hurting Bella."

"I don't see how wishing to be human would have made you one, though." Rosalie offered. "If that were the case, then I would have been human years ago. What is so different about this particular situation?"

"I've read The Velveteen Rabbit," Emmett said in an unusually serious tone. "My nieces loved that story. It's about a stuffed rabbit that is brought to life because of the love his owner had for him. The rabbit never realized he was a toy because the little boy never treated him like one. When the rabbit was thrown away, a fairy turned him into a real rabbit."

"If the little boy loved the rabbit so much, why was he thrown away?" Rosalie snapped.

"Scarlet fever," Bella answered. "The little boy had scarlet fever, and when he recovered, everything he owned while he was sick was thrown out—the rabbit included."

Rosalie gave Bella her best "_are you still speaking"_ look. "This is nothing but info-dump. I don't see what a stupid story has to do with Edward suddenly smelling like breakfast."

Jasper straightened a little in his chair, obviously sensing the tension in the room, and spoke up. "Listen, it's pretty clear that no one knows what's going on. Sitting here arguing a moot point isn't going to change the situation. I vote for letting it go for the afternoon and going to Seattle. For all we know, this could be a temporary thing; maybe things will be back to normal tomorrow. Who knows? All I'm saying is that ultimately, there's nothing we can do about it. I suggest that we let it go for now and enjoy ourselves like we had originally planned."

"Ditto," Alice said, giving Jasper a ten thousand watt smile.

Carlisle signed, but nodded. "Alright, but before we embark, I want to know how you're feeling, Edward. You mentioned feeling ill. How so? Where does it hurt?"

Edward frowned. "I don't know. My stomach? I'm not exactly used to feeling like this, you realize. For all I know, this feeling is perfectly natural." Just then, the sound of a stomach growling loudly interrupted him. Edward's frown deepened, causing a crinkle to appear between his brows. Bella delighted in the sight of a red flush creeping up his neck. Human Edward was not as adept at hiding his embarrassment as Vampire Edward.

Carlisle broke out into a broad smile, and a few others started laughing. "Have you eaten yet today?" Carlisle asked gently.

"No," he responded hesitantly.

"Then why don't we get you and Bella some breakfast. If you still feel ill after you've had some food, let me know. Otherwise, I suspect that you're simply hungry. After all, it's been nearly two weeks since you've eaten, not to mention the mechanics I'm not entirely certain about involving…well, your situation."

Edward rolled his eyes, and the flush remained. He stood up from the couch and walked towards the kitchen. "Is cereal alright, Bella? I think we have some lying around from the last time you…"

Alice interrupted him before he could finish his sentence. "Are you out of your mind? You get to eat human food and you're going to settle for something out of a box?" Alice's eyes got dreamy. "If I were you, I'd be gorging myself with pancakes, waffles, eggs, and sausage."

"The last time I checked, we didn't have any of the aforementioned items, Alice." Edward replied.

Esme's soft voice answered Edward. "Then we'll go out to breakfast and allow Edward and Bella a proper meal. We need to take two vehicles anyway, so Carlisle and I will take Edward and Bella to the local diner, and the rest of you can head along to Seattle. We can all meet up later in the city, but this way, certain parties can get a jump on their Christmas shopping," Esme smiled warmly at her two daughters, "while the rest of us can have a more laid back trip."

"Excellent idea, Esme," Carlisle said. "Is anyone opposed to such a plan?" He paused, allowing time for anyone to speak up. No one did, so he continued. "Brilliant. Then Rose, you, Emmett, Jasper, and Alice take the M3 and the rest of us will meet you later this afternoon."

Alice's smile was so big, Bella momentarily wondered if she was going to start jumping up and down. Edward's siblings left, leaving Edward and Bella alone with Carlisle and Esme. Carlisle ushered Edward up to his study and Esme approached Bella. She placed her arm around Bella's shoulder and pulled her into a loose hug. "Is everything alright, sweetie? You've been rather quiet this morning."

Bella blushed, not used to Esme's close attention. Her amber eyes were shining with kindness, making Bella feel at ease. "I'm just taking it all in." Bella grinned, suddenly. "I can say this much, however, nothing's ever been boring since Edward entered my life." She laughed, and delighted in the sound of Esme's twinkling laugh joining her own.

"I think Edward can say the same of you, my darling." Esme winked, making Bella's stomach do a funny flop. It was still hard for her to admit that maybe she had changed Edward's life as much as he had changed hers. Esme must have sensed this, because she changed the subject. "What are you going to have for breakfast?"

Before she had the chance to respond, Edward's footsteps down the stairs announced his and Carlisle's return. "I don't know about Bella, but I'm going to have buttermilk pancakes," His smile practically lit up the room. It was infectious.

"The forks café used to have really good pancakes, so hopefully they still do. When I was a little girl, Charlie would take me there for breakfast when I was visiting. Have you ever had them with strawberries?"

Edward shook his head. "Strawberries were much harder to come by when I was a kid, not to mention very expensive. We only had them on special occasions, and never on something as pedestrian as a pancake."

Bella's jaw dropped. "_Pedestrian_? You think pancakes are pedestrian?"

Edward shrugged. "I'm not saying I don't like them, I'm simply saying that when I was younger, even though pancakes were well liked among all classes, they were most common among the lower classes because they were inexpensive to make."

Bella rolled his eyes. "Well, this penurious individual is hungry and ready for her _pedestrian_ breakfast." She looked around and found that Carlisle and Esme had already left for the car so she followed.

Edward's laughter followed her to Carlisle's Mercedes. "Penurious? What, are we practicing SAT words now?" Edward opened the door to the back seat and sat down, playfully poking Bella in the side. "Are you even sure you used it correctly?" Bella huffed and ignored him.

Carlisle pulled out of the driveway and looked at Bella and Edward in the rearview mirror. "Do I even want to know?" He laughed as Bella blushed a furious red.

"I was simply complimenting Bella on her prodigious vocabulary," Edward's playful voice answered.

Bella snorted. "Oh yes, and by 'complimenting', he means, 'mocking'. Such a gentleman you are, Edward."

Edward responded with a cocky grin and a kiss on her crown. Despite her irritation, Bella melted into his side and smiled.


	3. Chapter 3

**WARNING**: This chapter contains a mature scene. If that sort of thing bothers you, then you can skip right over it. Otherwise, it's nothing that you wouldn't see on an episode of Gossip Girl.

**oOo**

The waitress had just left with the payment, and Edward was finishing up the last few bites of his breakfast. He noticed Bella, Esme, and Carlisle watching him intently as he dabbed at the side of his mouth with a napkin. "What?" He asked, feeling suddenly self-conscious.

"Nothing!" Bella quickly answered. "I'm just glad to see that you enjoyed your breakfast." Edward raised a curious eyebrow. Clearly, their stares involved more than his "enjoyment" of breakfast, but not being able to read minds any longer, he wasn't able to garner any inside insight.

"Do you still feel ill?" Carlisle asked. Edward shook his head. "Good, then let's head out. Rosalie and the others are probably already in Seattle." Carlisle was out of the booth and on his feet before Edward's eyes registered the movement. He blinked, and suddenly empathized with Bella's complaints about his rapid movements.

"Are you sure you're not still hungry, Bella?" Edward noted that she had eaten only a fraction of what he needed to fill up. "I mean, you only ate 2 pancakes. Is that normal? Do you want to box up any to take with us?"

Esme laughed while Bella's mouth gapped. "Are you for real? _Only_ 2 pancakes? Edward, _normal_ people only eat 2 pancakes, not 8."

"Bella's right," Carlisle chortled, "You were a little ebullient in your enjoyment."

Edward's eyes widened. "My table manner's weren't," he trailed off, then continued again. "I mean, I've not needed to use cutlery for quite some time. I didn't offend anyone, did I?" He looked at the silverware in front of him. There weren't as many utensils as he remembered using 80 years ago, but he was sure he was sure he did everything correctly.

Esme placed a comforting hand on his forearm and for the first time he could remember, Edward experienced the feel of a vampire's icy skin on the warmth of his flesh. "Of course not, dear. You're manners were the picture of turn of the century perfection. Very gentlemanly." She smiled. "I think what Bella and Carlisle were referring to was how many pancakes you enjoyed."

"Oh," Edward responded flatly, another flush creeping up his neck.

"Love, think nothing of it." Bella placed her hand on Edward's thigh. The heat of her palm through the thin fabric of his khakis was no less distracting than it was when he was a vampire and more susceptible to the heat of humans. "We're all just happy to see you enjoying yourself."

Edward appeared thoughtful for a moment. "They were quite good, though not as rich as a mountain lion," he teased, feeling uncommonly open about his previous eating habits.

Bella giggled and Carlisle and Esme smiled, "I'd imagine not," Carlisle said. Edward quickly exited the booth and head out his hand to assist Bella. He helped her put on her coat and delighted in her blush from his attention. He'd be lying to himself if he said he wasn't nervous about Bella's reaction to his change. He didn't have a vampire's beauty anymore, and while he hadn't checked himself out in a mirror lately, he was certain he'd find nothing more than an ordinary human being staring back at him, no more attractive than Tyler Crowley or—heaven forbid—Mike Newton. He was grateful for the relief of no longer thirsting for Bella's blood, or any bloody for that matter, but he was worried about whether or not Bella would still want him now that he was, well, ordinary. Would he still be able to dazzle her?

Bella's arm snaking around his shook him from his musings. She smiled up at him with all the love in the world and his thoughts melted into nothing but her. Bella had promised forever, and as long as she was capable, forever would be what he would receive. Feeling a sudden lightness of soul, he pulled her close to his chest and kissed her fiercely. When he pulled back, her eyes were unfocused and her cheeks were burning red. "Do I still dazzle you?" his husky voice whispered into her ear.

"Always," Bella replied--slightly breathless--much to Edward's satisfaction. He slung his arm around her shoulders and guided her to the car.

oOo

Bella was curled up next to him in the back of Carlisle's car. It was a test of his patience to not be driving, but without vampire reflexes, he knew he was going to have to seriously rethink his driving habits.

Edward squirmed in the seat, feeling an unfamiliar pressure in the pit of his stomach. He must have been fidgeting more than he realized because Bella looked at him concerned. "Is something wrong?"

Edward furrowed his brow and said in an almost reverent tone, "I think I need a human moment."

"What's wrong, Edward?" Carlisle's voice cut in.

Bella grinned. "I think Edward needs to use the restroom."

"I'm sorry, Carlisle," Edward said, feeling more than a little embarrassed. "I should have gone before we left Forks. I didn't think of it."

"Think nothing of it, Edward, stopping isn't a problem at all," Esme's calm voice reassured.

"Do you think you can wait 20 minutes? We're almost to the hotel," Carlisle asked.

Edward nodded and turned his attention back out the window in an attempt to ignore the pressure on his now-functioning bladder. Having never traveled at vampire speeds when he was human, he could now appreciate why Bella was always ragging on him to slow down. The speed at which the trees and bushes whizzed passed was dizzying. He didn't need to look at the speedometer to know that Carlisle was traveling over 150mph. He wasn't surprised that they were almost at their destination. With Carlisle's driving, the 150 mile trip would take just under an hour.

Suddenly, every muscle in his body froze when he felt Bella's finger innocently draw idle patterns on the top of his thigh, just above his knee. He wasn't even certain she was aware of what she was doing, but everywhere her finger traveled left a trail of tingling fire. He swallowed thickly as he felt her finger trail up and down, up and down, over and over again. He felt a rush of blood travel someplace he didn't want it to go in a small car piloted by 2 vampires with an acute sense of smell. The last thing he wanted was for Carlisle and Esme to smell his arousal—he couldn't imagine anything more embarrassing.

He felt the unusual sensation of his heart rate increase, and knew it was already too late – Carlisle and Esme would already know. He closed his eyes and took Bella's wandering hand into his own, bringing it to his lips for a kiss. "What's the first thing you want to do when we get to Seattle?" He asked, more out of a desire to will his arousal away than anything else.

Bella hummed, "I'm not sure. To be honest, I don't really care, as long as I can see the city lights at night."

"Oh, sweetheart, you'll love it! The entire city twinkles; it's absolutely beautiful," Esme enthused. "It gets better and better every year. I expect this year to be the best yet."

Carlisle looked over at his wife fondly. "I suppose coming to Seattle the week before Christmas has become sort of an unofficial tradition if we're in the vicinity. It's something we all enjoy, so I'm grateful that you are able to join us this year, Bella. You are a welcomed addition."

Edward grinned when Bella sank deeper into his side and turned her head away to hide her blush. "He's right," Edward murmured over the top of her head, "You are a very welcome addition."

**oOo**

Edward was watching Bella's reactions to the people coming and going in the lobby of The Fairmont Olympic Hotel when Carlisle returned from the front desk with their room keys. They were all staying in suites that featured a fantastic view of the cityscape. He couldn't wait to see Bella's jaw drop when she saw the room that they would be sharing. He had been to the hotel many times since his family started coming to Seattle, but seeing Bella's guileless awe from the palace-like building was like seeing it for the first time all over again.

"Are we really staying here?" Bella's voice was hushed, as if she would interrupt the building's natural course of existence by simply being there.

Edward clasped her hand and nodded. "That we are. If you think this is impressive, just wait until you see the room." He couldn't keep the smirk from spreading across his lips. He knew Bella didn't like people spending money on her, but the money would have been spent whether she was with them or not, so he hoped she enjoyed it.

"Edward, Bella, I've rang the others and we're all set to meet up at 7pm tonight in the lobby of Nordstroms," Esme said as she leaned over to kiss Edward, and then Bella, on the forehead. "You kids have fun, and if you run into any trouble or need anything, don't hesitate to give us a call."

"Thank you, Esme," Edward smiled, waving to his retreating parental figures. Once they were out of view, he turned to face Bella. "Is it alright if we stop up in the room before we head out for the day? I'm in dire need of a shower and a change of clothes."

Bella furrowed her brow. "But you didn't bring any luggage."

"Alice," Edward answered simply. "She had it delivered to our room when they arrived this morning."

"Oh," Bella said as Edward directed her towards the elevator. "But how did she know to bring luggage? Wait, wrong question," Bella stopped herself from asking the obvious. He couldn't help but chuckle at her trying to wrap her mind around how Alice knew to bring an overnight bag. "I guess what I mean is, how come we're spending the night?"

"You know that storm Charlie mentioned this morning?" Bella nodded. "According to our little weathergirl, it's going to be a big one. She said that it would be safer if we returned tomorrow, so we are." Edward pushed the button to call the elevator. When the doors opened, he ushered them inside and pressed the button for their floor. "Aside from the obvious, that's what Carlisle and I were discussing when you descended the stairs this morning."

"I sort of figured that you and Carlisle were talking about," Bella motioned her hand in a circle, "well, you know."

Edward chuckled and nodded. "I do know, and we did, briefly." A sudden smirk crossed his face. "Carlisle is very good at hiding his surprise. If I didn't know what to look for, I would have missed it."

Bella looked up at Edward, interested. "How did he react?"

"Aside from a momentary pause, his face gave no outwardly reaction at all. However, to us…" Edward stumbled over his choice of words, "to them, it was a very long pause, but for you—me—it was but a moment."

Bella grinned. "Oh, to have been a mind reading fly on the wall!" She exclaimed dramatically, throwing her wrist over her forehead in an equally dramatic way.

Edward laughed and wrapped his arm around her waste when the lift doors glided open. "Come along now, my silly, dramatic Bella, our palace awaits." Bella's laughter immediately subsided as her eyes were once again opened wide, taking in the hotel's hallway. It was well lit and decorated with vases of flower arrangements that were almost as tall as Bella. Although the carpet wasn't the original from 1920, it was an exact replica. It was a rich red with gold accents, which highlighted the art choices hanging on the walls and mahogany paneling. When Edward opened the door to their room and stepped aside for Bella to enter, she paused, looking unsure. "Well, go on then," Edward urged her. "Carlisle said there would be snacks inside in case we were hungry."

Bella nodded and made her way through the double doors that opened to their room. It was a room fit for a king, and Edward was pleased with the accommodations. "You Cullen's don't do anything half-way, do you?" She said in a breathy voice. Edward chuckled, and pulled her back to his chest and kissed her temple.

"Why don't you get yourself settled? If you don't mind, I need to take a quick shower and change out of these clothes." Bella nodded absentmindedly, still taking in the grandeur of the room. She walked over to a bowl overflowing with fresh fruit and grabbed a couple cherries. She walked to Edward, and with a playful smile on her face, popped one into his mouth. He crushed the cherry to the roof of his mouth and savored the juice that squeezed out. He didn't recall cherries being that good the last time he had some.

"You do that," She said slowly, popping a cherry in her own mouth, her eyes never leaving his. She probably hadn't meant for that to be erotic or seductive, but with the body of a seventeen-year-old boy at the height of his sexual peak, Edward's mind went straight to the gutter. He could see nothing except the movement of her tongue licking the cherry's juice from her lips. His heart was racing and he could feel the beginnings of an erection tightening his trousers. He must have audibly moaned, because Bella's face flushed the most luscious crimson.

"The shower can wait," he groaned. It must have sounded positively guttural to Bella, but in that moment, he didn't care. He crashed his lips to hers and without breaking their kiss he lifted her up. It wasn't quite as effortless as it was when he was a vampire, but Bella had never been heavy. He carried her to the bed and set her down gently, lying partially on top of her. He was completely lost in her touch, reveling in the freedom from the siren's song of her blood.

"God, Edward," she moaned into his mouth, adding fuel to fire. He felt her tongue seeking entrance into his mouth, causing him pause. They had shared countless kisses, but none of them would qualify as what one might call risqué. Now free from the dangers of his deadly venom, he opened his mouth and let her in. She was hesitant at first, but grew bolder, caressing his teeth with her tongue, and then his own tongue. The sensation was electric, and made him even harder. One of his hands was tangled in her dark hair and the other brushed over her shoulders and traveled down her side, caressing the satin of her skin. He traced his palm along the edge of her sweatshirt, and then slipped his hand underneath, caressing the flesh of her stomach. She arched up in that moment, crashing her hips into his erection. The sensation was indescribable and white heat flashed behind his eyes. He returned the thrust, driving her into the mattress aching for as much delicious friction as he could get. His entire body was singing for release.

Barely able to form coherent thoughts, he forced himself to pull away from her lips and took in her appearance. Her hair was wild from the constant fingering from his hands, her cheeks were flushed, and her breath was ragged. His guilty hand was still underneath her sweatshirt, but he made no motion to move it. However, the most glorious thing of all was her hooded, glossy, lust filled eyes. He took a moment to savor the fact that _he_ had been the cause of this. That _he_ had brought her such pleasure. He lowered his head and brushed his cheek against hers. "Do you have any idea how badly I want you?" He whispered into her neck.

"Please," she murmured. "You can have me. Take me. God, anything...just," She moaned loudly when he bit down on her neck, "…don't stop…don't ever stop." Her pleading was near incoherent as he started sucking on her throat and twirling his tongue over the bruised flesh.

He took the lobe of her ear and nibbled on it. Her submission and quiet whimpers were fracturing his already failing self-control. He wanted nothing more than to divest them both and make love to her for hours. However, while he could push his boundaries farther than he could when he was a vampire, he still felt a strict sense of propriety. He had never dreamed that a simple kiss could be so erotic. "My Bella," his voice was thick with desire and near breathless, "we need to stop."

Bella's responding moan did nothing to ease the erection throbbing in his trousers. "We do?" She placed her palms on the stretch of his abdomen that had been revealed when his shirt rode up. For the first time ever, her fingers felt cold on his overheated flesh.

"Yes, my love," He whispered, nuzzling her neck. He brushed several kisses along her jaw, and then found her lips again. Though not as frenzied as their previous kisses had been, this one was no less passionate. Their tongues met and slowly danced around each other. The kiss lasted until Edward felt his chest tighten, and pulled back. "Oxygen, I really need to get used to needing oxygen." Bella's bright laughter made his insides dance.

"Yes," Bella teased, "and looking rumpled like the rest of us human beings."

Edward laughed and kissed her nose. "Which is exactly why I need to go take a shower."

"You win this time, Mr. Cullen, but don't think I'll let you escape so easily next time." She attempted to laugh maniacally but the effect was lost with her flushed face and disheveled appearance.

"I'm counting on it, Miss Swan," he whispered promisingly. He reluctantly pulled away from her, planting one last lingering kiss on her lips, and escaped into the bathroom. The face he saw reflected in the mirror shocked him. His auburn hair looked savage and his normally white skin was as flushed as Bella's. He could still feel his heart beating erratically, and despite his hundred plus years of age, he looked and felt like a seventeen-year-old boy. In that moment he didn't care how it happened or why it happened, he was simply grateful that it did happen that that he could finally touch his Bella the way he had always dreamed of touching her.


	4. Chapter 4

oOo

The snow started to fall around 4pm, and Bella and Edward had sought refuge in a coffee shop. It was so cold that Edward's lungs burned with each inhalation, and clumps of ice began to form on his eyelashes. "I don't ever recall it being this cold in Chicago," he said, rapidly rubbing his gloveless hands together in an attempt to warm them up.

"I'd make a comment about Phoenix, but I think that goes without saying." Bella unwound the drenched scarf that was around her neck and draped it over a chair at their table. "Have you ever had coffee or cocoa before?"

"I'm sure I have, but I don't remember much about them." Bella was looking at the menu when he answered, with her lips pursed. Edward chuckled at the picture she made. Her nose was scrunched up and she had her "thoughtful" face on. "I'll tell you what, why don't you just order something for the both of us. I'm sure I'll love it."

Bella turned to face Edward and frowned. She looked adorable with her lips set into a pout and a crinkle between her brows. "Are you sure? I mean, what if you don't like it? It's important that you…"

Edward cut her off with a peck on her forehead. "Bella, sweetheart, it doesn't matter to me. It's just a cup of coffee. I trust you, and if I don't like it, I can order something else."

Bella nodded, seeming appeased. "Can you at least answer whether you prefer chocolate or vanilla?"

Edward paused and truly thought about it. He honestly couldn't remember which one he preferred, though he was sure he had tried them both at one point in his life. Not wanting to disappoint Bella further, he simply picked one. "Vanilla," he said, rewarded with her broad smile.

"Excellent! Then I'll be right back with our drinks." She returned five minutes later with two small red cups, and handed one of them to Edward. "I picked you out a Vanilla Latte. It's made from espresso, steamed milk, and a little bit of vanilla flavoring." He accepted the cup gratefully and took a sip. The liquid was warm, smooth, and a little sweet. He hated to make the comparison, but it almost reminded him of Bella's blood. When he looked up, he saw her looking at him with expectant eyes. "Do you like it?" she asked eagerly.

He smiled warmly, "It's perfect."

Her smile once again lit up her face, making him feel warmer than any cup of coffee ever could. "Good! Would you like to try mine? I ordered a Mocha. It's like yours, only instead of vanilla, it's made with chocolate and topped with whipped cream."

"Sure," He said, accepting the offered cup. When he took a sip, he found the liquid slightly bitterer than his. If he had to compare it to something, he would say it reminded him of a bear's blood. If Emmett had suddenly found himself human, he would be a Mocha man. He smiled at the thought of his grizzly brother drinking coffee and handed the cup back. "It's not bad," he said finally. "They're both good, but I think I enjoy mine a little more. I'm not sure I like the whipped cream on top."

"Really?" Bella's eyes widened slightly. "I'm not sure how, but I think I knew that. Your drink is supposed to come with whipped cream too, but I ordered it without. You're the kind of person who doesn't go crazy over all the embellishments. Now Alice? Alice would be all over the whipped cream. But you? You're very simplistic, and not at all the type to go for the bells and whistles."

Edward couldn't stop the hearty laugh that escaped him. "Do you realize that you're psycho-analyzing me over a cup of coffee?" he asked once he had regained his composure.

Bella's eyes were twinkling with joy, and she nodded. "Yes, but am I right?"

Edward took another drink of his latte and nodded. "I suppose you are."

"Edward," Bella tentatively started after a long silence, "what is it like," She paused, looking around at the other patrons in the coffee shop, then continued in a hushed voice, "not hearing everyone?"

Edward grinned and arched his eyebrow. "Quiet?"

Bella laughed, and then frowned. "Edward, I'm being serious."

"So am I, Bella." He reached over and grabbed her hand, noting that her fingers were still cold from their prolonged stay outside. "Let me put this in a way that you might understand," He sat back for a moment, thinking of how he could put it in a way for her to understand. "Okay, imagine being trapped in a room where there is the loudest, most obnoxious heavy metal music playing, and you have no way to make the music stop. Imagine being in this room for a day, imagine it for a week." He trailed off, hoping she'd get the picture.

"Imagine it for eighty years," she said quietly.

Edward nodded, "Exactly. Now, for the first time in a very long time, the music is gone." He sighed, "And to tell you the truth, I'm not sure if it is a relief, or a loss. Perhaps a little of both."

"Is it really as awful as heavy metal? Didn't you say you could tune it out?"

"Yes, it really is as awful as heavy metal music in the sense that it's not really something I want to hear. People are incessantly noisy and sometimes the thoughts are louder than other times. Like when we're at school for example, the noise is really loud there, however, when I'm alone in our meadow with you, it's very quiet." He smiled at her then, bringing her hand to his lips for a kiss. "I can tune it out in a way that I'm not one hundred percent focused on the voices, but whether or not I'm focused on it doesn't change the fact that they're still there."

"Wow," Bella said, blinking slowly. "I had never realized it was like that for you. I should have, but it's difficult when," she looked around at the other patrons again, causing Edward to chuckle. He wasn't concerned with whether people could hear them or not. If they did, the worst they'd assume was that he was crazy. "It's difficult to comprehend what it's really like when mind-reading isn't exactly a normal skill. Do you miss it? Hearing people's thoughts?"

"Hm," Edward scratched his chin. "Honestly? I don't know. It's been with me for so long, the silence is almost unnerving. It's weird not hearing the background noise I've grown so accustomed to, or hearing the random thoughts that break through my barriers, but over all? I guess not. I was never able to hear the thoughts that mattered to begin with, so it's okay." Bella blushed when he referenced his inability to hear her thoughts.

"Is there anything about being vampire that you miss?" Bella drew her finger around the rim of her cup, not making eye contact. Edward frowned at her reserve and used his index finger to lift her chin up and force her to look him in the eye.

"No," he said firmly. "I told you once before that there wasn't one thing I wouldn't give in order to be with you, to be _like_ you--and I meant it, wholly and completely." When he finished speaking, her entire face was on fire. He knew if he had his vampire hearing he would be able to hear her heart racing. A small corner of him, larger than he was willing to admit, missed that.

"You're dazzling me again," she said, chagrined. "Even without…you're still…you're shameless," she finished lamely.

Edward smirked, "It's only fair, because you are equally as enchanting. I may be able to dazzle, but you, my love, can conquer even the fiercest of monsters."

Bella broke out into a fit of laughter. "My goodness, you _are_ full of cheese and camp this evening." She took another sip of her Mocha. "On a random note, did you ever read Harry Potter?"

"What? Why?" He looked at her bewildered.

She grinned. "Because your eyes remind me of Harry Potter's eyes."

Edward laughed suddenly. "You're comparing my eyes to that of a fictional character?"

Bella nodded, still grinning. "I am. I've never seen eyes as green as yours before, so the only thing I could think of that even remotely reminded me of you was Harry Potter." She reached over and brushed a lock of hair that had fallen across his brow. "It's strange not seeing them change color."

Edward grinned. "First you're comparing me to a fictional character, then you lament over the fact that my eyes are not multi-colored. Should I be concerned?"

"No!" Bella blurted out, "not at all. It's just difficult because you are so hard to read sometimes. I could always sort of tell what was going on in that head of yours by the color of yours eyes. Kind of like a crabbiness barometer," she added, grinning. Edward was still frowning, trying to fight the smile that threatened to spread across his face at her ridiculous comparison. "Now it's harder to pull your mood from your eyes."

"Let me see if I'm understanding you clearly," he started, "You miss my eye color because it helped you discern my mood. Now that they're a standard, boring old green, you can't tell."

Bella looked at him severely. "They are neither standard, nor boring," she snapped. "Quit making inferences from logic originating on Saturn." Edward laughed at her temper, which caused her to frown even more. "I was merely pointing out that it's harder to decipher your emotions without the color changing, so it's like starting from scratch. You're at an unfair advantage, again, in that I'm just the same-ole-same-ole."

"Now who's being dramatic?" Edward rolled his eyes. "If you want to know what I'm thinking or feeling, ask me."

"Oh yes, because you've been so open about your emotions in the past," Bella's voice edged on sarcasm.

"Try me," Edward challenged.

Bella raised her eyebrow. "All right, how are you feeling?" She asked. "And don't edit," she added quickly.

"I will answer, only if you will do the same." Bella nodded, so he continued. "I'm feeling," He searched, " warm. But not the kind of warmth I feel when I touch you. This is different. It's like it's within me. _I'm_ warm. It's…strange."

"Are you afraid?"

Edward didn't answer right away, instead, he took a deep drink from his cup. "I suppose in some ways, yes, I am," he said slowly. "I don't know how this happened, why this happened, or how long this is going to last. I'm afraid of growing used to this and then having it snatched away from me. I'm afraid that I'm going to disappoint you in some way now that I'm, well, normal."

"That could never happen, Edward," Bella rushed to say, grabbing his arm and squeezing it. "I love you."

Edward smiled slightly and nodded. "I know, and I love you, too. I'm just telling you what I'm feeling."

Bella nodded, "I can respect that."

"I'm also feeling awed. I realize the gift I've been given, so I'm taking in as much of this experience as I possibly can. Holding you without having to worry about crushing you…it's indescribable. Everything we mentioned the night before this happened—it's all come true. I can't begin to tell you what that's like for me. I feel like a child in a toy store who's been told he can have one of everything. It's amazing."

Bella nodded, smiling. "I can't imagine what that must be like for you, but I can empathize. I feel the same way, you know. You were my first kiss, and until this afternoon, I had never…" she trailed off, blushing. "Well, you know what I mean."

Edward nodded, suddenly feeling guilty. She deserved more than what he could give her, vampire or not. "I still don't understand why you stay with me when someone else could give you so much more."

Bella gasped, her eyes wide. "How can you say that?" Her voice was soft and hurt. He hated hurting her with his doubts, but he couldn't help how he felt.

"We've been together for how many months, and today was the first day I could actually kiss you the way you deserved to be kissed. Doesn't that bother you? Don't you want more?"

"Edward, I'm going to speak slowly and use small words in hope that you can follow along, perhaps even get the message through your thick skull. I want you and _only_ you. I want what you can give me, and if there is something I want that you are unable to give me due to circumstances that you _are not your fault_, I understand. If things go back to normal, I want you to know that I regret nothing. Simply being with you is enough."

"And what happens when just being with me is no longer enough?" Edward looked at her sadly, and felt his stomach tighten up. "You're only seventeen. What satisfies you now isn't necessarily going to be will satisfy you ten years from now."

"Stop it," Her soft voice commanded firmly, "Stop living in a hypothetical world that you can neither foresee nor control. Not even Alice could tell you what will take place in ten years definitively. I understand your fears, _God_ you have no idea how I understand them, but you can't live for tomorrow, Edward, you need to be glad for today." Bella grasped his hands and pulled them to her breast. Her eyes were shining, and some of his apprehensions began to melt away. "I'm afraid about not being enough for you, too. What if things go back to normal and you're still 17 while I'm 27? 37? What then? Our relationship is much richer than one of physical emptiness. I would love to make love to you, but if that never happens, I'm okay with that. You need to trust me and believe in me when I tell you that. Of course I want to be physical with you, but if we can't, I understand. You've been without physical companionship for eighty years. I'm telling you that I can wait, too."

Edward felt his insides dance at her declaration. "My Bella," he whispered, pulling her close to him. "My sweet, wonderful, selfless Bella. I love you with all my heart."

"And I you," she responded. He kissed her sweet lips, picking up a hint of chocolate in her warm mouth.

"We had better get going if we're going to meet the others on time." Bella nodded. He stood up reached out to pull her up. When they were both standing, he wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her firmly. "You are my greatest gift, Bella," he whispered into her ear. "Never forget that." She blushed, and he brushed his lips against her hot cheek.

**oOo**

"If this whole 'humanity thing' lasts much longer, I'm going to need to invest in a warmer coat," Edward complained as he hung his leather coat in the closet. They had just gotten back to their suite and he had yet to warm up.

"Oh, my heart is breaking for you," she said dramatically, clearly not sympathetic in the slightest. "It's such a travesty, your fashionable coat not providing enough warmth. I guess you'll just have to join the rest of us mere mortals and wear something warm instead of something fashionable."

"As long as it's not something plaid, or pillowey, or overly bulky, or ugly, then I guess it'll have to do. They make leather coats lined with fur, don't they? Yes, I'm sure they do. I'll check with Alice in the morning to get something tailored," he trailed off and fingered his leather coat affectionately.

Bella's musical laughter made him smile, "You do realize how ridiculous you just sounded with that pathetic list, don't you? Warmth isn't about fashion, it's about survival."

Edward rolled his eyes. "Don't let Alice hear you say that or she'll subject you to a rigorous afternoon of thought reprogramming in the form of shopping."

Bella groaned. "Then let us never mention it again. You want to freeze? Then by all means, freeze."

Edward walked over to the dining table and picked up the menu. "I don't want to freeze, I just don't want to look like a…" He trailed off, an image of Mike Newton's bright red plaid coat flashed into his mind. He shuddered.

"A Forks hick," Bella finished for him. "No need to spell it out for me, Edward. I am quite aware of your family's opinions on the state of fashion in our proletarian town." Bella rolled her eyes and plucked the menu from Edward's hands. "Room service?"

"Yes, I'm kind of hungry. Aren't you?" Edward wrapped his arms around Bella from behind and continued to peruse the menu over her shoulder.

"I could eat." She grinned suddenly, "I'd offer to share something with you, but after your display at breakfast, I'm not sure if I'd be able to get a bite in before you devour it all." Edward could feel a flush creep up his neck. He was still embarrassed about his poor display of manners earlier in the day.

"What are you thinking about ordering?" Bella turned to face him, her eyes shining mischievously.

"Would you be opposed to letting me order for us?" The way she chewed on her lower lip after she asked her question indicated that she was definitely up to something.

"No," he drawled. "But am I allowed to listen to you order?"

Bella's eyes, if possible, got even brighter. "Nope," she said simply. "I want it to be a surprise. You go change into something warm and I'll place the order."

Edward nodded hesitantly, but did as she bade. When he returned, her joy was practically radiating off of her. "What are you up to, my little vixen? You'd think that you've never ordered room service before."

She walked over to him and placed her arms around her neck. "Promise me one thing, you'll let me pay for this meal." Edward started to protest, but Bella silenced him. "No, listen to me. I've been struggling with what to get you. What _do_ you get someone who has practically everything?"

"Nothing," Edward cut in.

"Anyway," Bella ignored him, continuing, "I realized that this could be your last night to have human food, and I wanted it to be special for you, so please give me the honor of letting me do this for you." Her eyes were pleading, and he could feel his resolve crumbling. "Let me buy you dinner, like you've done for me so many times," Her umber eyes made him feel lightheaded, and he was done for. "If not for you," she continued, driving the knife in even further, "will you do it for me?" She couldn't have been more convincing if she batted her eyelashes coquettishly. Game, set, match.

"Fine," he grumbled. She fought dirty. "But I'll only allow it if you let me get _you_ something nice for Christmas." Edward grinned as she narrowed her eyes. "After all, it's only fair to return such a loving gesture in kind." If she wanted to play this game, than he was more than willing to play—and win. He was rewarded with an indignant huff and her folding her arms across her chest.

"Alright, you have a deal," she smirked suddenly, "But you are not allowed to spend more than me." Her smirk widened. "Agreed?"

Edward knew a concession when he saw one and nodded. "Agreed."

They were interrupted suddenly by a knock on the door. "Wow, that was fast!" Bella said, rushing to let the steward in. Edward about stumbled back when he saw not one, but two carts ushered in.

"God, Bella, how much food did you order?"

"Enough?" Bella blushed, and pulled her bottom lip into her mouth.

"Enough for two or enough for ten?" He stared in mild shock, as plate after plate was uncovered, revealing ten dishes of food. The waiter stood to the side and waited for his tip. Edward pulled a bill out of his pocket and handed it over, hoping he would scram so he could redress his previous agreement. There was no way he was letting Bella pay for all of this food.

When he looked up, there were tears in her eyes. "You don't like it," she whispered. Edward barely heard her.

"Of course I like it—I love it—I'm just surprised." He pulled her into his arms and kissed her forehead. "There's just no way on God's green Earth I'm letting you pay for all of this."

Bella's jaw tightened. "You promised."

"Yes, but that was before I realized you ordered the entire menu."

"You promised," she repeated, firmly.

Edward signed. Clearly, she was not going to budge on this. "Fine, then I'm holding you to our agreement, and you have to let me buy you something nice." Bella nodded, but was still frowning. A lone tear slipped down her cheek, causing Edward's heart to twist uncomfortably. "What's the matter?" he asked, brushing away the offending droplet of water.

"I just wanted this to be special for you. I thought that if you tried a little bit of everything, you could experience more." Her doe eyes were still glossy with unshed tears, and he hated himself for upsetting her when all she wanted to do was make him happy.

He placed his palms on each side of her face and looked her in the eyes. "It's perfect. _You_ are perfect. Thank you." Edward could feel her blush on his hands and smiled warmly. "Now, what should I try first?"

Bella grinned. "I know you're supposed to have dinner before desert, but I don't want it to melt, so how about the strawberry milkshake first?"

"That sounds wonderful." The walked over to the cart and surveyed all of the plates of food. There was a plate with a hamburger and fries, a pizza with god-knows-what on it, some pasta dish that he didn't recognize, three desert-looking items, grilled chicken, mashed potatoes, a plate of mixed vegetables, and a slice of meat that he thought might be a steak. He still couldn't believe that she had ordered all of this for him just so he could have a bite of each.

Edward grabbed the glass of pink ice cream and took a bite. He closed his eyes and savored the flavor. "Do you like it?" her timid voice asked.

He nodded. "I don't know why, but I'm getting the feeling that this was one of my favorite things when I was alive. I think I'm remembering something. Father was at work and mother was elsewhere, but I can remember the face of this one maid—I wish I could remember her name, because something tells me I really liked her—anyway, I remember her making the best strawberry ice cream in the world. I can't remember why she was making it, probably for one of my mother's many functions, but I do remember that I wasn't supposed to have any of it."

"Why not?" Bella prodded.

"There were too many guests, if I recall. I don't remember the mechanics of making ice cream by hand in 1915, but it was no cakewalk. It was a lot of work for a low yield, but this maid," Edward paused, "Betty? Beatrice? Bernice?" he groaned, "I wish I could remember. Anyway, she would always sneak me a bowl. It was divinity on a hot day. We didn't have freezers back then so as soon as," his face suddenly lit up. "Bonnie! Her name was Bonnie!" Edward felt a sudden lightness at remembering the maid's name. "When Bonnie finished it, it went straight to the guests."

"Edward, that's really sweet."

Edward felt proud that he had remembered something seemingly mundane so clearly from his past life. "Yes, I really loved Bonnie. She was a bit like a turn-of-the-century governess. When I was growing up, the servants were almost as responsible for raising their boss's children as the parents. Bonnie would take care of me while father was out of town or mother was at a social function. Speaking of mother, did I ever tell you that she was a suffragist? She joined up with them in the early teens, if I am remembering correctly. Of course, the movement wasn't as big in Chicago as it was out on the east coast, but there was still a strong presence. Anyway, the position of lower class servants in homes diminished greatly with the passing of the depression. Franklin's New Deal allowed many citizens, both women and lower class, to find a modicum of success in the military and factories. They worked insane amounts of hours, but they received better wages. Well, sort of. I guess not better, but at least they got more than a nickel a day."

Bella started laughing, jarring Edward out of his sojourn to memory lane. "I can't believe you turned that into a history lesson. No wonder you get all A's in history, you lived through it all."

Edward merely shrugged and took another drink of the milkshake. "I don't think about it very often. The past, that is."

"Is it hard for you?"

He shook his head. "No, just…there's no reason to. What happened in the past remains in the past, so there's no sense in dwelling on it."

Bella nodded. "I can appreciate that." She plucked a fry off a plate and popped it into her mouth. After swallowing, she added, "I love listening to you talk about it, though. It's different than reading about it in a book or listening to a boring lecture at school. You make it interesting." She then grabbed another fry and dipped it in Edward's milkshake before popping it into her mouth.

"No, tell me you did not just cover your french fry in ice cream before you ate it." Edward looked slightly green at the idea.

"Hey," Bella said, defending her action, "Don't knock it until you try it."

"Are you kidding me? That looks disgusting." Edward held up his hand as if it would further his refusal.

Bella smirked at him. "What, are you chicken?"

"Protecting my recently functioning digestive system from whacko food combinations is hardly a reason to call someone a chicken."

"French fries with ice cream are not whacko! It is a time tested teenage rite of passage loved by many."

"But not all," Edward added quickly.

Bella picked up another fry and dipped it in the shake. She held it out for Edward. "Come on, sweetie, just one? If you hate it, at least you can say that you've tried it. Teenage rite of passage!"

"I'm not a teenager," he said furrowing his brow.

Bella grinned despite his reticence. "You are tonight." She lifted the fry closer to his mouth. "Come on, just one? I promise that you won't die from one little French fry." Edward rolled his eyes, but acquiesced.

He chewed slowly, and Bella watched his every motion. After he swallowed, she waited patiently for the verdict. "It's…," he paused, searching for a proper adjective, "tolerable."

She groaned dramatically. "Is that it? Come on, you have to admit that it's better than _tolerable_" she finished the latter in a fair impression of his voice and tone.

Edward laughed. "It's not terrible, I'll grant you that."

Bella huffed and grabbed another fry covered in ice cream for herself. "It's delicious," she retorted, and then popped the fry into her mouth. She then grabbed a fork and knife and pointed at the plate with the slab of mystery meat. "Try that next, it's a piece of steak. I wanted to know if it reminded you of mountain lion. I mean, it's not bloody, but I did order it extra-rare."

Edward's only response to that was laughter.

oOo

It was well past midnight when Bella and Edward retired to bed. It was a strange feeling to be tired, and this would be the first time since 1918 that Edward would consciously be falling asleep. Bella's head was resting on his shoulder, and one of her arms was slung over his stomach. He wondered if things would be back to normal tomorrow, or if he would remain human. If he did fall asleep, would he be able to dream? Would he dream of Bella?

Bella's quiet voice interrupted his musings. "Edward, I want you to know that whatever happens, I'm grateful for the time we had today."

Edward hugged her small frame to his body and kissed her head. "Me too, love. Me too." The evening out of her breathing indicated that she had fallen asleep. With the immense warmth surrounding him and the exhaustion he felt from the events of the day, Edward was not long for the world either. The last conscious thought he had was how he'd never look at a mountain lion or cow the same way every again.

_And then once again, everything faded to black._


	5. Chapter 5

**Sunday, December 19****th****, 8:40 AM**

When Edward opened his eyes the next morning, the first things he saw were his brother's amber eyes staring at him. Startled, he opened his eyes wide and moved as far away from his brother as the bed would allow. "Sweet Jesus, Emmett, what are you doing?" Emmett's booming laugher answered Edward's query. Emmett was lying on the bed next to Edward on his side, staring at his brother with bright eyes and a wide smile.

"You're little lady's in the shower 'freshening up'," he said with air quotes, "So I thought I'd watch you sleep. Seeing as how you'd spend countless hours doing it before your little 'situation'," more air quotes, "I wanted to see what all the fuss was about." Edward groaned and threw a pillow over his head. Unfortunately, it did little to block out the sound of Emmett's new wave of laughter. "You should have done that ten minutes ago, little brother. The way you were moaning Bella's name in your sleep," He wagged his eyebrows. "That must have been some dream."

Edward sat up abruptly and smacked Emmett over the head with the pillow. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

Emmett snatched the pillow from Edward's grasp and began pounding him with it. "I don't think so, Mr. Repressed. You're lap tells a different story."

Edward's eyebrows shot up to his hairline and he looked down. Sure enough, Emmett was right. "Bollocks!" He exclaimed, snatching another pillow from the bed and covering himself with it. Emmett was laughing so hard that if he were human, he would have been hyperventilating. "Emmett, this is a perfectly normal bodily function. It happens to all men in the morning," Edward tried to sound as technical and detached as possible, but his burning cheeks gave way his embarrassment.

"If you went into the bathroom and relieved yourself, I'm sure Bella wouldn't mind." Emmett was once again wagging his eyebrows. "Maybe giver her the ole' one-two while you're at it." He proceeded to make vulgar diagrams with his hands.

Edward smacked his brother in the shoulder and was shocked to find that it hurt. It felt like he had punched a brick wall, and while he should have expected that, old habits are hard to break. His wrist was throbbing, but he made no motion to reveal his discomfort—heaven forbid Emmett have even _more_ ammo to tease him with. "Don't you have somewhere else to be?" Edward said in a defiant tone.

His brother gave him a toothy grin. "Nope. Carlisle asked for a volunteer to see if you were still human, and if so, to wake you sleeping beauties up and let you know that we're headed back to Forks at 10."

Edward rolled his eyes. "Excellent," he drolled. "Mission accomplished. Message delivered." He grabbed the collar of Emmett's shirt and started dragging him towards the door. "Now if you would please be on your merry way…."

Emmett went without struggling, but not without a parting comment. "Don't you go poking me with that thing; I'm just an innocent bystander," he said motioning to Edward's morning wood. "You should be required to carry a license if you plan on operating your weapon, or at least if you plan on keeping it armed." Edward was fuming when he opened the door and pushed his brother out. "Or at least let Bella know that you're playing with firearms," He shouted from down the hall. "She has a right to know!"

Edward slammed the door and brushed his hands, as if that would brush away Emmett's filth. He looked down and found his morning erection significantly diminished. He breathed a sigh of relief and walked back into the bedroom and flung himself on the bed. A few minutes later Bella appeared from the bathroom freshly showered wearing an outfit that Alice had bought for her the previous day. Edward internally applauded his sister's ability to pick out perfect outfits for Bella. They were always elegant and classy, without compromising Bella's own sense of style. Bella was standing in the threshold nervously fingering the hem of her shirt.

"Alice, she," Bella started meekly.

"You look gorgeous," Edward interrupted. And he meant it. The shirt was a soft pink turtleneck that emphasized her beautiful blush. Her hair was still wet and dripped onto the fabric, causing it to cling to her form in inappropriate ways. He again cursed his hormonal seventeen-year-old body for noticing such unseemly things and tried not to imagine what it might feel like to stroke the fabric over her…. No! No, he was a one hundred and six year old gentleman and he would _not_ allow this…this…teenage body to take control of his mind and impulses. If he could resist her blood despite its siren's song, he could resist this.

"Thanks," she said. Edward was taking in her appearance a few moments longer, still wondering what it would feel like to touch her, when Bella spoke again. "What was Emmett going on about earlier? Something about playing with firearms?" The confusion evident on her face made it clear she wasn't aware of his brother's juvenile double entendre.

Edward felt his the heat of a blush creep up his neck. He attempted to distract her from his blush with his best smile. "Oh, it was nothing—just Emmett being Emmett. You know how he is."

**oOo**

Alice, Esme, and Rosalie were holding Bella hostage while they showed her their recent purchases, so Edward used the opportunity to speak with Carlisle. His knocked on his office door and waited for the invitation to enter. It was unnerving not being able to hear Carlisle's invitation in his mind, so he toed the floor waiting for verbal permission. Instead, he was surprised to have Carlisle open the door himself.

"Come in, my son. I've been expecting you." Carlisle's warm tone immediately put Edward at ease and he was instantly grateful for Carlisle's use of parental nomenclature. He didn't often take Carlisle up on his role as father—friend and confidant, yes—but now more than ever he was in desperate need of fatherly guidance.

"I hope I'm not interrupting your preparations for your shift this afternoon," Carlisle's desk was covered in patient files and x-rays.

"Not at all, I always have time for my children." Carlisle stacked the files and pushed them to the corner of the desk. "Actually, if you hadn't sought me out, I was going to come and find you."

Edward nodded, "I figured as much. Where would you like me to begin?"

Carlisle opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out a stethoscope. He held it up in question. "May I?"

"Of course," Edward replied. Carlisle was at his side in a vampire flash and he could feel the coldness of the metal through the thin fabric of his shirt.

"Incredible," Carlisle muttered. After a few moments of listening, he removed the buds from his ears and offered them to Edward. "Would you care to?"

Intrigued, Edward accepted the stethoscope and listened to his heartbeat. _His heartbeat_. Just the thought of that was enough to cause it to increase. It was steady and strong, and sounded exactly like a seventeen-year-old boy's heart should. "I still can't get used to that."

Carlisle smiled. "I can't even begin to imagine how you must be feeling. I myself am having a difficult time remembering to speak aloud." He moved to sit on the edge of his desk and leaned over to place a comforting hand on Edward's shoulder. "How _are_ you feeling?"

Edward felt a bitter laugh rise in his throat. "I don't know," he said finally. "I honestly don't know. Good? Alive? Scared? Excited? Take your pick, for I seem to be experiencing them all. I can only imagine how poor Jasper is coping with me around."

Carlisle frowned. "Don't worry about your brother, he's fine. It's you I'm concerned about. This is unprecedented. When Alice told me of her vision, I could not fathom the truth of it, but when I saw you run down Bella's stairs with your wide green eyes and racing heart, how could I deny what was staring me in the face?" He paused thoughtfully and stroked his chin. "The question that continues to race through my mind is 'how can this be?'"

"I had a dream last night," Edward started. "I know dreams are far from reliable, but this was…different. To be dreaming in and of itself is an experience I never dreamed to have again," Carlisle rolled his eyes and smiled at Edward's blatant pun, "but this dream was more like a message. If it was a delusion, it was the most realistic delusion I have ever experienced."

"Tell me about it," Carlisle's silky voice urged on.

"I saw my mother. I was almost disappointed at first. I mean, out of all the dreams I could have had, why did I dream about my mother?" Edward shook his head, bemused. "She ushered me into this airy room and greeted me like a mother might if she had not seen her son in eighty years. She started by saying she was sorry," Edward paused and looked at Carlisle, "about what she asked you to do. She wanted me to know that she didn't realize the implications of her request. She said that there was something about you that she felt she could trust, and that if it were to happen again, she would make the same decision. She said she is grateful for your kindness and guidance in my life." Carlisle's expression did nothing to disclose his thoughts leaving Edward to only guess at what his friend was thinking. Hearing no reason for pause from Carlisle, he continued. "I asked her why she would do it again knowing the consequences of her decision, and she just smiled and said that it was a mother's intuition."

Carlisle blinked, finally showing hints of confusion. "I still don't understand what this has to do with your heart suddenly beating again."

"Oh, I'm getting there," Edward replied, "She went on to tell me that my future was greater than what the early 20th century had to offer. She then gets this mysterious smile on her face and asks me how _she_ is faring with this."

"She?" Carlisle asked.

"I know!" Edward exclaimed, exasperated. "When I asked her who she was referring to, she bloody smiles again and changes the subject to my perception of reality and how there were lessons that I still needed to learn that only she, Mum's mystery girl, could teach me." He was beginning to feel a throbbing at his temples.

"The only "she" that I can think of is Bella," Carlisle offered, a pondering expression on his face.

"That's what I assumed, but when I asked mum if it was, she just pat my cheek and said, 'Edward, you chose well.'" Edward rolled his eyes. "Either my subconscious mother had been hitting the metaphysical herbs before she spoke with me or Bella is somehow responsible for this. She forced me to eat the entire midnight menu the Fairmont had to offer. There must have been something in the food."

Carlisle's eyes widened. "The _entire_ menu?"

Edward smiled at the memory. "Well, not the entire menu, but she ordered about ten dishes and made me sample each one." Carlisle's eyes were twinkling, and Edward idly wondered if this was a mild version of what Bella constantly referred to as "dazzling". He did feel a little lightheaded under Carlisle's gaze. He was so focused on Carlisle's amber eyes that he almost missed his friend's voice. "Edward?"

Edward shook his head and smiled, slightly chagrined. "Sorry, I'm not used to being on the end of a vampire's stare."

Carlisle nodded, understanding, and continued. "As I was saying, what 'lessons' about the perception of reality do you think your mother was referring to? And of all the times to teach you a 'lesson', why now?"

"When I was alive, my mother was always big on the spirit of Christmas. She would force my father and I to volunteer at the Hull House and hand out presents. She delighted in making Christmas wishes come true. I suppose you could look at it like an early form of Adopt-A-Family, only she adopted the whole house." A slow smile spread across his face as he reminisced. "Anyway, her love of Christmas seems to have continued even through death—or at least in my subconscious."

"Forgive me for not following, Edward. I still don't understand what your mother's love for Christmas has to do with you suddenly becoming human."

"My mother—well, my subconscious mother—seems to think that I don't properly appreciate what it means to be alive. I tried telling her that vampires aren't alive, but she frowned and said that existence, in whatever form, was a gift. I, of course, rolled my eyes."

"Of course you did," Carlisle smirked, knowing full well how Edward was when it came to debates on morality, existence, and the stance of one's soul. He could only imagine what the argument must have been like in his own subconscious.

"She was so disappointed, Carlisle. Disappointed in _me_. And for once, I didn't even do anything." Edward sighed. "It doesn't matter how long a parent's been dead, they still have the power to make you feel overwhelmingly guilty with a simple glance or a tone of voice."

Carlisle once again reached out and placed a hand on Edward's shoulder. "Edward, you need to try and take a step back from the situation. Let me tell you what I'm hearing. You have a dream about your mother in which she tells you that she wants you to learn about what it means to be alive. In order to teach you to appreciate your existence and view it as a gift rather than a curse, she's provided the means to execute your lesson." Carlisle smiled warmly. "That's not disappointment, my son, that's hope. Eternal hope that one day you'll come to see your life for what it is, _life_—not existence."

"Only if you believe that this wasn't some insane manifestation of my subconscious."

"You're here, aren't you? Your heart is beating, you're skin is soft, you're capillaries are filled with blood. That is not some 'insane manifestation' of your subconscious."

Edward frowned, "A crazy dream has little do with me suddenly finding myself human."

"I disagree, my Edward. You need to have faith, and if you have none, than Bella and I shall have enough for you." Carlisle shook his head, but he was still smiling. "Did your mother give you a time frame for this little 'lesson'?"

Edward smirked. "Apparently, my carriage turns back into a pumpkin on Christmas."

"Even if that's the case, you'll likely leave a glass slipper. You just need to wait for your princess to find it and bring it back to you."

Edward groaned loudly, "Did you really just tell me that I need to_ 'wait for my princess to find my slipper and bring it back to me'_? Oh god, Carlisle, I cannot _believe_ you took that metaphor to the level that you did. What's next, are you going to compare yourself, Emmett, and Jasper to the three mice? No, wait, don't answer that. I'm afraid that you might mention Rosalie and Alice, I don't want to face their wrath when they find out who they are in this little twisted tale."  
Carlisle laughed. "What? You started it with the carriage."

"I didn't think you'd take it and run!" Edward stood up and moved toward the door, still smiling. "Dad? Thanks."

Carlisle smiled and nodded. "Always, Edward, always. Never forget that I love you, and that this will all work out."

**oOo**

"I wonder what school is going to be like tomorrow," Bella said when _The Simpsons _went to commercial. "Do you think anyone will notice anything different?"

Edward was sitting behind Bella, twirling a lock of her hair around his finger, marveling at its silky texture. He hummed, "I've been wondering that myself, actually. I need to acquire a set of topaz contacts and a story to explain my sudden rosy complexion."

Bella turned around and pinched his cheek affectionately. "I don't think you'll need to say anything about your complexion. People will notice, but I highly doubt anyone will go as far as saying something to you. You've pretty much cultivated the 'I'm a Cullen, leave me alone' image to a T, so even though you don't give off the 'I'm contemplating eating you for breakfast' vibe anymore, people are still going to be intimidated. If anyone actually does ask, tell them you went to a tanning bed."

Edward laughed. "I don't give off an 'I'm contemplating eating you for breakfast' vibe! It's a carefully crafted aura of elusive mystique; there's a huge difference."

Bella joined in Edward's laughter. "Oh, my mistake. Truly, I don't know how I could have gotten the two of them confused."

"Neither do I," he murmured playful, nibbling on her neck. "You'll have to pay more attention next time."

Bella smiled and arched her neck to allow him more access. "As for your eyes, you're approaching this the wrong way. Instead of wearing topaz contacts to hide the green, if anyone asks you, tell them you're wearing green contacts."

Edward arched an eyebrow. "And what are people going to think of this sudden make-over?"

Bella placed her palm on Edward's cheek and looked into his eyes. "Does it really matter to you?"

Edward thought about it, and then shook his head. "No, I suppose it doesn't. I do, however, find it mildly amusing that I'm trying to hide my normality as opposed to my abnormality. That is certainly a switch."

"Edward, no matter how human you are, you will _never_ be normal." She leaned forward and kissed him, letting her lips do the convincing. No matter how often he kissed her while human, it felt exciting and new every single time. Her lips were like rose petals and the weightless feeling of not worrying about hurting her was freeing. He didn't want to give this up after his week was up. He still dreaded telling Bella about his dream. When she pulled back, her eyes were hazy and filled with love. "You are as mysterious and elusive now as you ever were before, perhaps more so. I'm willing to bet that if you go to school this week saying you've been tanning and are wearing green contacts, when we come back from holiday break, other students will be doing it as well. Think of it as starting at trend."

"Do you really think that could work?"

"I know it will work." She kissed him again, chastely this time, and brushed a lock of his hair out of his eyes. "Have faith."

He involuntarily shivered, forcibly reminded about his conversation with Carlisle earlier in the afternoon. "Have faith?" He asked. "Do you? Have faith, that is?"

Bella looked at him as if he had just asked her if the earth was round. "Of course I do, Edward. And if you don't, then I have enough for both of us." The way she parroted Carlisle's previous words without realizing it struck him. Could they be right? Did he really have a lot to learn about what it meant to be alive?

Edward shook his head, physically shaking his thoughts away and kissed her forehead. "I had better take you home. Charlie is probably wondering where you are."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Charlie is probably not even home."

Edward smiled at her methods of procrastinating the inevitable. "Perhaps not, but you still need to go home. We both need to get some rest before tomorrow."

"I don't want to sleep without you tonight." Bella's frown turned into a pout and she was working the puppy dog eyes in an attempt to get her way.

"I don't want to sleep without you either, but normal teenagers don't sleep with each other every night." As much as he wanted to give in, he knew this was one time he couldn't bend.

"You're not a normal teenager," Bella countered.

"I am now. Can you imagine what Charlie would do to me if he walked in and saw me sleeping in your bed? No matter how innocent it is, it would look terrible." Bella retracted her lower lip and Edward knew he had won. Without the ability to stay awake or hear Charlie's approach, it was too risky to spend the night. He wanted to sleep with Bella, too, but his desire to survive until Christmas outweighed his desire to sleep with her in his arms. Besides, maybe this was what his subconscious mother had wanted—for him to experience life as a normal seventeen-year-old.

"I know, you're right. I just…it'll be weird fall asleep tonight without you there. I'll miss you."

Edward pulled her closer and caressed her face. "I'll miss you, too. But, this is what being human means."

Bella nodded. "Will you still be there to pick me up in the morning?"

He grinned. "Of course, wild werewolves couldn't keep me away."

Bella laughed, but gave him a skeptical look. "Are you sure about that? Because I'm thinking that they probably _could_ keep you away."

"Ha ha ha," he replied dryly. He lifted her up and placed her gently on her feet, the rest of _The Simpsons_ episode forgotten. "Come on, love, let's get you home."


	6. Chapter 6

**Monday, December 20****th****, 6:00 AM**

Edward woke up the next morning with the distinct feeling of being watched. He couldn't explain why he felt that way, but there was an unsettled feeling in the pit of his stomach and a sense of primal intuition that he was surrounded. Edward was deeply intuitive before he became a vampire, so he knew better than to ignore his gut. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and tried to focus them into the dark. He could hear muffled voices and as his eyes became adjusted to the lack of light, he saw four figures surrounding the leather couch that he was sleeping on. "Oh, _come on_!" he groaned loudly. "What is _wrong_ with this family? Have you nothing better to do than stalk me while I sleep?" Edward pulled the blanket up over his head and promptly turned to face the back cushion.

His siblings descended upon him in a flash. He could feel his blankets being tugged down, a hand ruffling his hair, and several fingers poking and prodding him in uncomfortable and borderline unmentionable places. He could also hear the distinct laughter of Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper, and Alice. "Emmett was right," He heard Rosalie say, speaking loud enough for his benefit (if one could call it a benefit), "Watching Edward sleep _is_ quite entertaining."

"You were right, Emmett," Jasper this time, "he _does_ moan Bella's name like a man dying."

"You mean dying to get _laid_," Emmett interjected, causing his two brothers to burst out laughing.

He felt a cool hand pat his hair. "Aw, don't listen to them, Edward," Alice's soft voice soothed. "They're exaggerating. It was really more of a soft declaration that a moan. It was very sweet, if you ask me." Alice's attempts at soothing him did nothing to alleviate his embarrassment.

"No, I'd have to disagree, Alice," Edward pinched his already shut eyes tighter as if it would block out Rosalie's voice. "It was definitely a moan. Emmett sounds like that when we're…" she was cut off before she could finish.

"Will you all just shut up and leave me alone?" Edward roared, effectively silencing the room for all of five seconds before the next wave started.

"You know," Jasper whispered to Alice, loud enough for Edward to hear, "I think he's crabbier now that he's human. Though right now, he's more embarrassed than he is angry. He's only acting angry to cover it up."

"No, Jasper, I assure you I am quite angry." Edward seethed, "And if you interlopers don't get out of my room in a fraction of a second, I am going to do terrible things to each of you for the next twenty years starting the moment I get back to normal."

Jasper stage whispered to Alice again, "Oh, the anger just edged out the embarrassment. I think he's quite serious, love."

Alice started giggling. "Oh, he is. You should see some of the things he's planning on doing to us—very creative, Edward! I didn't even know you could use drill bits like that."

"OUT!" Edward jumped off the couch and started pushing his siblings out of his bedroom.

Esme's smooth voice was a welcomed addition to the madness. "Come on children, leave poor Edward alone. You've all had your fun, now go and get ready for school." A chorus of "Yes, Esme"'s could be heard from each of his siblings as they filed out of his room. Edward breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you, Esme."

Esme sat down on the couch next to Edward and pulled him into her arms. "Don't mention it, my love." She placed a kiss on top of his messy hair. "And don't worry about them. They were only watching over you because they care about you."

Edward groaned. "I beg to differ."

He could feel more than hear Esme's laughter. He missed its musical sound. "They are only teasing you. Alice was telling you the truth, Edward. You're brothers and Rosalie were only trying to get a rise out of you."

"Isn't there anything better to do than watch me sleep?"

Esme's glance was gently chiding. "You better than anyone else know how to answer that."

Edward sighed, nodding. "I know, it was just unnerving waking up with all of their eyes on me."

"Believe me when I say that they were only doing it because they care about you. You are fragile now, Edward, and your heart is like a musical song to all of us. Seeing you so full of life, both figuratively and literally, is a treat for not only you, but us as well. We love you, and we want to share this with you. Perhaps even live vicariously through you, if only for a week."

He hadn't thought about how his current situation might be affecting his family. He was so caught up in simply being, that everything else sort of fell to the wayside. "I'm sorry Esme," He started, "I hadn't realized…I didn't know…."

"There is nothing to be sorry for. I am simply letting you know that we are as intrigued by this situation as you are." She gave him one last lingering squeeze and kissed his temple. "You had better get going, or you'll be late for picking up Bella. I want you to be careful when you drive today—you no longer have the reflexes you are used to."

"Do you think Alice should drive us today?"

Esme smiled. "Of course not, millions of seventeen-year-olds drive to school every day. I am sure you'll be fine. I am simply reminding you to be extra careful when on the road, Carlisle said the roads were icy when he was driving home from his shift last night."

Edward nodded. "Thanks for the warning, and thanks again for bailing me out this morning."

Esme's laughter floated with her out the door. "Don't thank me yet, my Edward," He could hear her chiming voice from down the hall. That was a warning he wasn't yet ready to deal with. He heaved a sigh and went into the bathroom for a shower.

**oOo**

It was 7:15 on the dot when Bella came racing out of her front door. She was almost to the car when she hit a patch of ice and started to go down. Alarmed, Edward attempted to stop her fall. Instead, he got caught up in her momentum and ended up on the cold cement with Bella on top of him. He could feel the beginnings of a headache where the back of his head smacked the pavement. "Ouch," he said, slightly breathless.

"Oh my god, Edward! I am so sorry!" Bella rolled off of Edward's chest and kneeled down beside him. "Are you okay? Can you hear me?"

Edward closed his eyes and rubbed the back of his head. "That didn't quite go as planned."

"Did I hurt you?" Bella's voice was panicked, and tears began to fill her eyes. "I'm so sorry," she chanted like a prayer.

Edward gingerly sat up and brushed away a stray tear off of Bella's cheek. "I'm fine. See?" he said, smiling brightly. He didn't want her to know he hit his head for fear that she'd freak out even more. "No blood no foul."

Bella launched herself on top of him and wrapped her arms around him in a fierce hug. He winced from both the pain and the ominous feeling that the day was only just beginning, first his sibling's ribbings and now a near concussion; he dreaded what else was in store for him for the day. "Bella, sweetheart, I need oxygen now."

Bella immediately released her death grip from his neck and blushed. "I'm sorry," she started, but Edward held up his hand.

"Don't worry about it. Just, now that I don't have my vampire reflexes, can you do us both a favor and try to stay upright?" Bella's blush deepened, and she nodded. "Good," he said, trying to stand up. "Then let's be on our way before we're late for first period."

oOo

"Edward, the speed limit is 35 miles per hour."

Edward's eyes didn't leave the road. "I know."

"And first period starts in 5 minutes."

Edward's hands were firmly planted on the steering wheel. "I know."

"So why are you driving 25 miles per hour?" Bella shouted, exasperated. "Is this some sort of revenge for all the times I complained about your speeding habits? Because if it is, I take it back. I take it all back."

"Bella, my reflexes aren't as sharp as they used to be, and I want to ensure that we arrive at our destination safe and sound." He pointedly ignored the honking cars lined up behind him.

"What about on time?" Bella retorted sharply. "You're 17, not 70. Please, let's pick up the pace!"

"Isabella," Edward snapped, secretly pleased when she winced at the full use of her first name. "The roads are extremely slippery. You of all people should be aware of that given your eloquent display this morning. Would you really like me to tempt fate and drive in an unsafe manner?"

"An _unsafe manner_? Are you bloody kidding me? Your entire driving career has been spent with you driving at speeds of an _unsafe manner_ and now when we're actually going to be late, you want to take your sweet time?"

He took a deep breath and remained calm, not answering her. They were only a block away from the school's driveway, so Edward remained focused on the road. When he finally parked the Volvo, the long line of cars that had been behind him each honked in anger as they passed him and Bella on their way into the small lot. Bella's face was crimson, and she purposefully refused to take Edward's hand when he offered it to her. They walked in silence until they reached the front door, when Bella turned and finally looked at him. "I'll be driving us from now on."

"But Bella, the roads are unsa--," Edward was cut off with Bella's furious finger pointing at him.

"This is the part where you hand me your keys and say, 'yes, Bella.'" She wasn't shaking, but Edward could see she was still quite angry.

He fished the keys out of his pocket and placed them in her waiting palm. She had more experience driving as a human, anyway. "Yes, Bella," He said, with an amused smirk. He secretly loved it when she took charge like that, though he'd never admit it to her.

"Good," she said, satisfied. She stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him on the lips. "Then I'll see you at lunch. Try not to stir up too much trouble, okay?"

Edward glided into his European History class two seconds from being late, and took his customary seat next to Alice. The teacher, Miss Heinz, gave him a disapproving frown. He flashed her a grin and was disappointed to find that it had no effect. A minute later, Mike Newton and Tyler Crowley stumbled into the room, followed a few seconds later by an out-of-breath Lauren Mallory. "Would someone please tell me why you are all tardy this morning?"

"Cullen felt the need to play traffic regulator and held all of us up outside," Mike said acidly, pointing accusingly at Edward.

Edward raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He knew Mike was attempting to goad him into an argument, but middle of class was no place for such an event. The teacher just sighed and turned her attention back to the board to start class. Not 30 seconds later, a tiny piece of paper floated down in front of him. **How's the head?** it read. Edward frowned. He had hoped Alice would have missed that little episode.

**You tell me,** he responded, carefully sliding the note back to her, wishing he had his vampire speed to aid him. When Alice read the note, her slight frame shook with silent laughter. She had written her response and returned the piece of paper before he even had a chance to blink. When he opened the paper, two small white tablets fell out.

**You'll be fine. It's nothing a couple aspirin won't fix. You're traffic jam caused quite the ruckus this morning. Mike is currently deliberating on whether or not to approach you after class.** Edward had figured as much himself; Mike Newton was rarely one to let things go. He looked a few rows in front of him, and sure enough, he caught Mike's angry gaze. Edward rolled his eyes. This was not how he wanted his day to go. He wanted to greet the day with fervor and excitement, and cherish every moment with great joy. Instead, his patience was wearing thin and his head was throbbing. The last thing he wanted to deal with was a confrontation with Michael _bloody_ Newton. The only thing to temper his black mood was the thought that he could now punch Mike Newton without killing him.

Before he had the chance to respond to Alice's note, another one floated down in front of him. **Don't even think about it.**

oOo

Edward was closing up his notebooks after the end of class when he noticed a hulking shadow descend over him. He sighed heavily, knowing what was going to come. "Cullen, what the fuck was with the traffic hold-up this morning? Thanks to you, we were all late."

He took a deep breath and looked up calmly, seeing both Mike and Tyler flanking him. "If tardiness is a problem for you, Newton, then perhaps you should leave earlier." He smirked when he saw Mike flush a bright red and his eyes widen.

He suddenly felt Alice's strong hand grip his forearm. "Don't do it, Edward," She urged. "Just walk away."

Tyler leaned in and told Mike to drop it, but Mike shook of Tyler's hand and ignored him. "Ooh," Mike crowed, "You need your sister to defend you, Cullen?" His eyes were sparkling with arrogance and mirth.

Edward stood up abruptly and faced Mike head on. A slow smile spread across his lips and he narrowed his eyes. "My sister wasn't concerned for me, Newton, she was concerned for _you_." He was pleased to see Mike's confidence waver.

"Darn it, Edward, come _on_," Alice repeated, more urgently this time. She tugged on his sleeve and tried to drag him to the door without her strength seemingly overly obvious. Edward acquiesced, and turned to leave.

As he reached the door, Mike's voice stopped him one last time. "I don't know what Bella sees in him. He's nothing but a pansy little sissy-boy who needs his sister to bail him out of a discussion. He probably pays her to go out with him, bribing her with fancy clothes and fast cars. I oughta show her what it means to be with a _real_ man. She'll be screaming my name so loud, she'll forget all about Nancy over there." Edward saw nothing but whitehot rage. He ripped himself from Alice's grasp and turned around and punched Mike Newton square in the nose. He felt the satisfying crunch beneath his fist, and watched the blood start to gush from his nemesis as he fell to the floor, letting out an agonizing howl.

"Edward!" He heard Alice hiss from beside him. He turned and saw her standing stalk-still beside him, her black eyes focused on the bleeding boy writhing on the ground.

"Get out of here, I'll take care of it," he whispered. She nodded and was gone in a flash. Edward looked up towards the heavens and sighed. Of all the days for Miss Heinz to leave the room after class, why did it have to be today? He approached Mike's fallen, crying form on the floor and held out a hand. Tyler looked at him questioningly, while Mike looked at him with unconcealed hatred. "It will be easier if we both take him to the nurse," he said, answering Tyler's unasked question.

Mike shook his head furiously, or, as much as he could with a broken nose that was gushing blood. "No way, get the fuck away from me, Cullen. I don't want you near me." Edward raised an eyebrow. "Just you wait until the cops hear about this! I'm going to slap you with assault so fast, your head'll be spinning."

Edward consciously tried to look unaffected by Mike's words, but inside his heart was racing and the adrenaline from the punch was still surging through his veins. He was anything but calm. "If you charge me with assault, then I'll slap you with sexual harassment charges against me _and_ Bella."

Mike's eyes widened. "You can't do that!"

Edward remained calm and smirked. "You want to bet, _Nancy_?" He actually _couldn't_ charge Mike with sexual harassment, but as long as Mike believed he could, that was all that mattered. He let his words hang in the air, before adding, "If you let it go, then I let it go, and Bella never needs to find out what you said about her."

Mike seemed to be considering Edward's offer. "You won't tell her?" he asked hesitantly.

He shook his head. "I give you my word. I also promise you that my father will provide any medical care that you require free of charge." Mike seemed to deliberate a moment longer, then finally sighed and nodded. "I'd offer my hand to shake on it," Edward said, smirking, "But I'm sure you understand my reluctance."

Mike glared. "Shut up and help me to the nurse's office."

oOo

Thankfully Miss Heinz's classroom wasn't too far from the nurse's office. It was like parting the Red Sea as the three of them walked down the hall. Everyone stopped to stare, but no one, not even the teachers, asked the boys what had happened or where they were going. Edward had hoped that because Bella's next class was so far away she wouldn't be anywhere near the hallway approaching the nurses office. Unfortunately, his hopes were in vain. Bella was standing next to Emmett's locker, her wide eyes fixated on Edward and her jaw on the floor. Emmett was giving him a thumbs up, but quickly stopped when Rosalie, who was on the other side of Emmett, reached over and punched him in the arm. Jasper and Alice were nowhere in sight, probably avoiding Mike's dripping blood.

The three of them were almost to the nurse's office. Edward could see it like a shining gateway at the end of the hall. Just a few steps more and they would be home free. Unfortunately, God hated Edward that day and decided that he wasn't through messing with him. A stern figure stepped out into the hall, effectively blocking the boy's path. "What the heck is going on?" the loud voice demanded. Edward felt his stomach sink. Without the ability to dazzle, he had nothing but his seemingly nonexistent luck to rely on. The hallway became so silent, he could hear the ticking of the clock three entryway's down.

"Principal Meyer, good morning," Edward attempted to charm her with his voice, but it sounded nothing like the silky smoothness he was hoping for. "We were just on our way to the nurse's office."

"Cullen's fist slipped," Mike grumbled.

"Purely by accident, I assure you." The principal looked skeptically at Edward, then looked at Mike for confirmation. After several seconds that seemed to hang in the air, Mike nodded.

Tyler, who had been silent up until now, added to the story. "Mike and I were talking, when Cullen tripped and accidentally ran into Mike's nose." Edward resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He didn't need to read minds to know the principal didn't buy their story, never mind the fact that no one had ever seen him trip or even lose his balance before.

"Principal, if you don't mind, may we please move along? I'm afraid poor Mike is going to pass out from the blood loss if we don't get going." The principal's frowned deepened, but she nodded, stepping aside to allow them passage.

"I expect the three of you in my office once Mr. Newton gets bandaged up," she called after them, then to the rest of the crowd, "Move along people, you've got classes to get to. Show's over."

oOo

Edward, Tyler, and Mike were sitting in the nurse's office, waiting for her to return with some more gauze. Her paltry supply wasn't enough for Mike's gushing nose. Mike was leaning his head back against the wall holding a bloody rag to his face as Edward and Tyler looked around the room awkwardly. No one dared to say anything.

After a silence that seemed to stretch for eons, Tyler spoke up. "What's up with your face, Cullen?"

Edward arched his eyebrow. Tyler had disrupted his thoughts on the pending call he would have to make to Carlisle. "What do you mean?" He knew exactly what Tyler meant.

"I don't know," His voice faltered, suddenly sounding unsure of himself. "You just look…different today. I don't know what it is."

"I'm not sure what you're talking about. I'm the same as always." Edward shrugged and went back to looking out the window. The less people noticed about his physical appearance, the better. Unfortunately, God hated him today and wasn't going to let sleeping werewolves lie. Mike lifted his head from its place on the wall and looked at Edward head on.

"No, Tyler's right. There's something different about you today. You look…" he trailed off, struggling to articulate his thoughts.

"While you two ruminate on my appearance, I'm going to call my father and tell him to stop by." Edward quickly stepped out into the hall and called Carlisle.

"Dad," he said when he heard Carlisle answer.

"Edward? What's wrong?"

Edward pinched the bridge of his nose and braced himself. "Could you come up here with your medical bag?" Edward picked at one of Mike's bloodstains on his shirt. Dammit, he loved that shirt. Leave it to Mike Newton to ruin a perfectly good Armani Exchange white oxford. "And would you please bring me a clean shirt?"

"What! Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself? What happened?"

"Oh, no, the medical bag's not for me," Edward replied quickly, feeling somewhat guilty for alarming Carlisle in such a manner. "I need you to help my good friend Mike Newton."

There was a lengthy pause before Carlisle finally responded. "Do I even want to know?"

"No." He ran his fingers through his messy hair, then added, "I also promised Mr. Newton that we would cover any expenses incurred as a result of his injury."

Carlisle sighed. "You're right, I don't want to know. Okay, I'll be up there in 10."

"Thank you, Dad. I'll meet you at the main entrance." Edward shut his phone and walked back into the small nurses office. The nurse had returned during his absence and was busy fussing over Mike and clucking her tongue. Edward wondered if all the action would give the old bat a coronary. He was sure the most action she had seen in the past several years were mild cuts and bruises. "I just spoke with my father and he said he was on his way."

The nurse spun around. "Oh! Mr. Cullen! I didn't hear you come in."

"My apologies, Mrs. Greyson," Edward said smoothly. "If you'll excuse me, I told my father I would greet him at the main entrance."

Her eyes glazed over and she nodded emphatically. "Oh yes, no problem. We'll be here waiting." He no longer had the ability to dazzle people, but that didn't seem to mind with the old nurse. She was just as enchanted as ever. He shuddered, suddenly grateful that he could no longer read minds so he didn't have to listen to her and Mrs. Cope's licentious thoughts. Nevertheless, Mrs. Greyson's overenthusiastic reaction was worth enduring if only to see Mike and Tyler roll their eyes and make gagging motions at each other from her fawning.

Edward smirked, suddenly feeling more self-assured. "I'll return in approximately ten minutes." He tipped his head to the three of them and glided out the door.

oOo

As Edward stood and waited for Carlisle to arrive, he was surprised to see Jasper wandering the hall. "Aren't you supposed to be in class?"

Jasper grinned and raised his eyebrow. "Aren't you?"

Edward smirked. "Touché. Actually, I'm waiting for our father to arrive."

Jasper nodded. "You've got the rumor mills working overtime today, first with the traffic incident and then with Mike Newton," Jasper paused, and then grinned brightly. "Alice said you slugged him good."

He looked around for anyone who might be listening in before he responded, "Not nearly as good as he deserved. Though I must confess, it did feel rather nice. I've been aching to do that for the past several months. The way he lusts after Bella, it's positively sinful." Edward narrowed his eyes, recalling some of the stray thoughts he unwittingly heard from Mike.

"No need to defend yourself to me. I've felt the emotions coming off him when Bella's around. If it were Alice instead of Bella, I would have done the same thing." Jasper then turned to look out the door. "Here's father now."

Edward saw Carlisle's shiny Mercedes parked outside, and saw his father walking up the sidewalk at a brisk, human pace. He was clutching Edward's shirt and his medical bag in his right hand, and had an apprehensive look on his face. When he saw Jasper standing next to Edward, his frown deepened. "Don't tell me that you're somehow involved in this, too," Carlisle asked once he had stepped inside.

Jasper laughed. "Oh no, this is all Edward. I'll let him explain it to you later. I had better be getting back to class. Good luck, little brother," Jasper called over his shoulder as he retreated down the hall.

"Dad," Edward greeted in a terse voice.

"Lead the way," Carlisle responded. Edward nodded, and led him to the nurse's office.

oOo

Tyler and Mike were in the same spots they were when he left—Mike perched on the bed with his head against the wall and Tyler sitting on the small stool next to the bed. When Edward and Carlisle entered the room, the two boys subconsciously straightened their posture, more out of a reaction to Carlisle's presence than his own.

Carlisle, taking in Mike's bloodied appearance, turned a questioning glance at Edward. "Good morning, Mr. Newton," Carlisle said warmly. He approached Mike and set his medical bag next to him on the bed. "Would you please lower your rag so I can take a look?"

The moment Mike lowered the rag, a new wave of blood cascaded down his face. However, it was long enough for Carlisle to get a good look at the break. He hummed, frowning at Edward. "I'm going to need to take you to the hospital for some x-rays. It is most assuredly broken, but before I bandage it up, I need to see how extensive the damage is." Edward ignored the pointed glare from Mike and nodded as if Carlisle had spoken only to him. "Son," he said, looking at Tyler. It didn't matter that Carlisle only looked 23, his presence and tone of voice demanded attention. "Would you please run along to the office and inform them that I will be taking Mr. Newton to the hospital?" Tyler nodded and jumped off his stool and bolted from the room. "Mr. Newton, if you'll please excuse me for a moment. I need to speak briefly to my son, then I'll be right back to bring you to the hospital." Mike nodded, and Edward felt the sudden weight of Carlisle's words.

He obediently followed Carlisle out into the hall and was grateful that class was still in session so no one else would be there to see his 'father' give him a dressing down. Carlisle didn't raise his voice often, but when he did, he never failed to intimidate Edward. He felt like a little boy under Carlisle's disappointed gaze. "Edward, I realize you're going through a lot right now, but your behavior today has been completely out of line, not to mention out of character. Rarely have I ever been more disappointed in you than I am right now. I don't care what that child did to provoke you, there is no excuse for what you've done." Edward suddenly wished that Carlisle _were_ the kind of parental figure who grounded. He would have much preferred being barred from his cars or his music than feeling the immense guilt Carlisle was laying on him right now. He felt as though Carlisle had just hung a ten thousand pound weight around his neck.

He felt Carlisle place his fresh shirt in his hands. "Now, I'll leave it at that because I imagine Bella will lay down the law far worse than I ever could." Carlisle sighed, "Don't ever let me catch you hurting an innocent child again, do I make myself clear?" Edward hung his head and nodded. He wanted to defend his actions saying that Mike had slandered Bella and he was merely defending her honor, but he knew it wasn't true. He was having a bad day and he had taken his frustrations out on Mike Newton in an unfair manner. Even if Newton was asking for it, he should have never lost control. Edward was shaken from his thoughts by Carlisle's palm gently squeezing his shoulder. "Do not despair, my son, everyone has a bad day. It is only human." His warm smile alleviated some of Edward's guilt. "This too, shall pass."

Edward nodded, but it was difficult to see the wisdom in Carlisle's words. His day was going from bad to worse, and he still had to face Bella at lunch, not to mention the principal.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes:** It's been a while; sorry about that. I have edited the previous chapters and changed the title of the story.

oOo

All things considered, Edward found the visit with Principal Meyer to be relatively painless. He knew the story of him tripping and using Mike's face to stop his fall was totally out of the realm of belief, and so did Meyer, but unless Tyler or Mike stepped up and confessed what really happened, there were no witnesses to say otherwise. The only thing saving him from a likely suspension was that the only evidence – Mike's nose – was circumstantial, not hard. It was a mere technicality, but Edward wasn't one to raise his nose at good fortune. The culmination of his perfect record, grades, and previous behavior forced the Principal to begrudgingly give him the benefit of the doubt despite the fact that she wasn't born yesterday.

But whatever the reason, Edward walked out of the Principal's office scott-free. Were he not ominously walking towards the lunchroom to meet Bella, he may have even had a jump in his step. As it was, he was a condemned man and was walking down the hallway in a manner similar to a convict going to his execution. When he opened the double doors to the cafeteria, a deafening hush fell upon the room. In his two years at Forks High, never once had he been the center of attention the way he was right now.

A lesser man may have hung his head and walked sheepishly to his table, perhaps wanting to crawl under the floorboards and die rather than face down the accusatory stares of the student population. Edward, however, was not a lesser man. Or, at least he was trying to convince himself that he wasn't. He prayed to whatever god or deity that may be listening to keep his face free from any blush and his stride confident and true. After all, he may have been temporarily human, but he was still a Cullen. Mustering all the strength and arrogance he could find, he strode across the room to Bella's table as if he owned the place. He certainly didn't feel as confident as he hoped he looked, but one must try and maintain airs. If nothing else, he had his past to hold him up. Today he was Spartacus! One of the most revered insurrectionists! That is, until he saw Bella's face. The look she was giving him was quelling and any pride he felt at his revolt died instantly.

"Hey, Princess," he said easily, casually draping his body over the bench. "How is today's lunch?" Bella's jaw tightened and he saw her inhale and exhale slowly. Whatever was going to come out of her mouth he was certain wasn't going to be good.

"Putrid. Say," she said in a falsely casual tone, "I couldn't help but notice that a certain Mike Newton was absent from my last class. Normally I wouldn't notice such a thing, except, in addition to his absence there are these," she paused and narrowed her eyes, "reports from eyewitnesses claiming that you and Tyler Crowley were escorting a bloodied and battered Newton to the nurses office."

"Battered?" Edward responded hotly. "He had a little bloody nose. Hardly anything to balk over." He idly wondered how much Bella knew, and in turn, how much she believed. He didn't want to lie, but he didn't want to tell her all of what happened either. "The only reason he's not in class is because Carlisle came by to pick him up so he could patch him up at the hospital."

Bella gasped. "He was so wounded that _Carlisle_ needed to come? And he's at the hospital right now?" Edward winced. He suddenly realized how much he missed the ability to think at vampiric speeds. He was reeling with what to do to appease his conscience and his girlfriend. The guilt was already making him feel ill and the thought of Bella being angry with him only amplified the knots tying up his stomach.

"I saw the entire thing, Bella," The soft voice of Alice from behind him startled him. The fact that he didn't notice her approach bothered him deeply. "Edward was provoked unfairly."

Bella's frown remained prominent and her shoulders tense, but he could tell the addition of Alice was starting to sway her to his favor. "So he was forced to respond with his fist?" Her tone was snappish, but her curiosity leaked through her annoyance. Edward wanted to drop to his knees and plead for Bella's forgiveness, but the fact that he could feel the entire lunchroom still watching him out of the corner of their eyes forced him to remain aloof.

Alice took a seat beside him and placed her palm on his thigh. "I agree that he shouldn't have reduced the situation to violence, but he was ready to walk away until Mike hit below the belt."

The furrow between Bella's brows deepened. Shit, that was never a good sign. "So because Newton made a few off color remarks, that gives reason for Edward to sock him?"

Edward could feel more than hear Alice sigh. "No, of course not. However, he was defending your honor. I had the misfortune of overhearing what caused him to fly off the handle. Newton most definitely had it coming."

This seemed to mollify her some, but she was still angry. Nevertheless, her curiosity seemed to be winning over her anger, because Edward could practically see her attempting to work out what Mike could have possibly said that would have caused him to react so violently. He wondered what he would tell her when she asked him in private later.

At that very instant, Alice turned to him and gave him one of _those_ looks. Those looks that said she _saw_ something and was screaming it out in her head right now, if only he were able to hear. Wanting to know what his sister saw, he excused himself from the table. "I'll be right back. I'm going to pick up something to eat." Recognizing her cue, Alice followed.

She wasted no time before launching into her speech. "Edward, first of all, when she asks, tell her what really happened. Don't edit. She'll be flattered that you cared despite her irritation that you vented your frustrations on fugly's nose." Edward opened his mouth to reply, but Alice wouldn't let him. "But that's not what I wanted you to see." She scrunched up her face, frustrated. "You know, it's really frustrating that I can't simply _show_ you. Of all the times that I cursed your ability, it's so bizarre to think of you without it."

"You have no idea," he responded. "I feel completely disoriented. It's like I lost one of my five main senses."

Alice nodded, probably being able to emphasize due to her own "sixth" sense. "What I saw is difficult to explain, because I'm not certain, but I think it involves the wolves." Edward arched his brow but trusted her to continue. He was certain that this was as confusing to her as it was him. "I saw you and Bella at her house after school when suddenly everything goes blank. Nothing. Nada. It's like, one minute you're there and the next you're not."

"So you're assuming that your lack of sight is a result of someone from LaPush visiting Charlie—likely Billy," Edward concluded. Alice nodded. "So I'll just avoid Bella's house. It's as simple as that."

Alice shook her head. "That's what's so confusing; I don't think it is. It's like…something bigger is crafting this. If you avoid Bella, suddenly everything goes blank at the restaurant you choose. If you stay home tonight something happens that causes you to vanish tomorrow. If you avoid the restaurant, you disappear somewhere else. It's like, whatever decision you make inevitably leads to this…blankness. I don't know how to describe it and its very disconcerting." Edward took the offered tray from the lunch lady and walked to the register to pay. After he handed the woman his money, he responded. "But you're not certain it's the wolves; you're only certain that something in my future causes me to disappear temporarily."

"I just—," She paused, clearly frustrated. "I can't think of anything else that would cause you to vanish like that. It's even more disconcerting that usual because nothing has ever prevented me from _seeing_ you before."

"No, in that we are agreement. It probably does involve someone from La Push. What I can't figure out, however, is why this seems "destined" to happen. The fact that it is apparently unavoidable is unsettling." Edward sighed. "Bloody hell, this day keeps getting better and better." They had reached the table so Alice refrained from comment.

"Emmett is about to do something stupid, so if you'll excuse me, I'm going to try and stop him." Alice smiled, inclined her head towards Bella, and flitted off to her table in standard Alice fashion. Sure enough, Alice got there just in time to snatch away what looked like a can of soda in Emmett's hand as was cocking it back to throw. Judging from the angle at which he was aiming, he was intending to hit Edward.

Edward rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Idiot." He twisted off the cap of his bottle of Coke and took a drink. After a few seconds, he frowned. "This is disgusting. I don't remember the exact taste of it from when I was a kid, but this? Wasn't it." He quickly replaced the cap and pushed it away from him.

Bella laughed. "You had Coke growing up?"

He chuckled, grateful for the reprieve in Bella's anger. "Believe it or not, Coca-Cola's even older than I am. It was quite popular and gaining in popularity with each passing year."

"Did you drink it back when they used cocaine?"

"No, they stopped using fresh coca leaves before I was born, which is where the trace levels of cocaine came from."

Bella stabbed at her spaghetti with a fork and twirled a noodle around the tines. She smiled. "I can't believe you know stuff like that."

Edward shrugged. "I've had time to read a lot of books."

Her smile widened. "I'll bet you have." She took a bite and quickly swallowed. "Pizza, Edward?"

He shrugged again. "I don't have to regurgitate it this time." He picked it up and took a bite, and made another dissatisfied face. "Ugh," He wiped a napkin over his mouth and spitting the hunk of mystery pizza into it. "I take that back. This is terrible! How can you stand to eat this every day?"

"I can think of a few girls who regurgitate it everyday." She glanced over in Lauren's direction and sighed. Bella set her fork down and pushed away the tray in front of her.

A look of disgust marred Edward's face. "I can't believe that I'm actually empathizing with something Lauren does. How disconcerting."

Bella arched her brow. "Somehow I'm thinking that it's not the quality of the food that causes our favorite plastic to puke it all up."

"Whatever. That still doesn't excuse the poor quality of cuisine this institution offers."

"It's a school lunch, Edward. What did you expect? Wolfgang Puck isn't going to mysteriously show up and fix us some gourmet meal. It's factory produced slop." Bella looked around at the other students who didn't seem to have any problem finishing what the school offered. "Besides, I highly doubt there are any individuals in this school whose palates are sophisticated enough to appreciate something of quality. Pizza and burgers are standard fare for Hicks, Washington."

"Let's get out of here. Let me take you out for a _real_ lunch. La Bella Italia." Edward's smile widened. "In fact, I think I'm in the mood for ravioli and coke."

"We can't just leave school, Edward. It's in the middle of the day!" She frowned. "Besides, you're already in enough trouble as it is with your He-Man actions this morning."

"Bella," Edward reached across the table and took her small hands into his larger ones. Despite the fact that he was no longer a vampire, they still felt incredibly warm to him. "I want to make this morning up to you. I feel terrible about what happened." He dropped his gaze from her eyes to her hands folded in his. "I don't…" He paused, struggling for words, "like this. Not knowing what to do. Feeling…abnormal." He made a frustrated face and looked her in the eyes again. "Which is ridiculously ironic considering my family and I are nothing short of abnormal. I'm out of my element, Bella, and I'm struggling to cope. Please let me do this for you? Just this once, for it may be the only time I can."

If Edward were still a vampire, he'd be dazzling her right this moment. As it was, her frown melted into a smile and her eyes looked at him with adoration. A coy smile touched her lips. "I suppose skipping _is_ good for ones health from time to time."

He favored her with a shining smile. "Come on, then. I've got the perfect story for Mrs. Cope."

oOo

Mrs. Cope leaned across the counter and traced her top row of yellowing teeth with her tongue. Edward fought a shudder and put on his most sympathetic face. "Mrs. Cope, I need a bit of a favor." He was grateful that he couldn't read her mind, but he didn't need to be empathic to know his humanity didn't lessen his allure in the aging woman's eyes.

Though Bella was standing right next to him, Mrs. Cope acted as though she wasn't in the room. "What can I do for you, Mr. Cullen?"

"I'm sure you heard about what happened to Mr. Newton this morning." He shook his head deeply. "Terrible accident, that." He attempted to look meaningfully into her eyes. "I haven't been able to concentrate all day. I'm so concerned for his wellbeing. Would it be possible to allow Miss Swan and me to go to the hospital to visit him?" He raised his hand to his brow and attempted to look despondent. "I'm afraid I won't be able to satisfy my conscience until I do." He reached out and touched the hand that was resting on the desk. "A sensitive woman like you surely understands how terrible I feel, right Mrs. Cope?"

Realizing her cue, Mrs. Cope was quick to respond. "Oh, you poor dear! How very sweet of you. Of course I understand! I'll excuse you from the rest of the afternoon. I can't imagine how difficult it must be for you not knowing how the boy is."

"Right. Terribly difficult. And Miss Swan, too?"

Mrs. Cope glanced at Bella, as if realizing she was there for the first time. "Oh, Miss Swan. Of course. You two head over there straight-away."

Edward favored her with his best smile. "Thank you ever so kindly, Mrs. Cope. Forks High is lucky to have someone such as you working for them." He felt his stomach churn more than a little as the older woman's cheeks reddened. Before she could say anything in return, he placed his hand on the small of Bella's back and ushered her to the door.

Once the pair got outside, Bella released a horde of laughter. "That was disgustingly over the top and extremely out of character. Poor Mrs. Cope doesn't know what hit her."

Edward, who was slightly disgusted by the situation and nursing his wounded pride, frowned, "Being unable to read her mind, I had to use charm alone."

His response sent Bella into even greater fits of laughter. "Charm? That was you trying to be _charming_? Oh good god, no."

"I obtained our goals, did I not?" he snapped, frustrated by her reaction. He knew he was over-the-top with Mrs. Cope, but from reading her mind previously, he was certain that was the course of action necessary to get her to agree. He couldn't understand why Bella didn't see that.

Sensing his anger, Bella calmed. "I'm sorry, Edward. I'm not used to seeing you behave in such a manner. You're a _Cullen_," she emphasized, "And such behavior is beneath the image you have cultivated for yourself."

"You think I don't know that?" He raised his voice, causing Bella to shrink away just the slightest bit. "Do you realize how difficult it is trying to live up to myself? To attempt to maintain what has taken 80 years to perfect without any of the skills or abilities I'm used to having? How can one be extraordinary when he is nothing more than ordinary?"

Bella reached her palm up to his cheek and beckoned him down to her level. She stood up on her tiptoes and kissed her forehead with his. "You have _never_ been ordinary, Edward Cullen. Whether that's as you are today or as you were a week ago, never once have you ever been ordinary." She kissed his lips. "I'm sorry, I keep forgetting how difficult this must be for you. If this is strange for me, this must be out of this realm for you. I'm sorry."

Edward sighed and closed his eyes, angry at himself for being unable to maintain as tight of control over his emotions and actions as normal. He placed his arms around her small waist and drew her closer to him. "No, no. I should be the one apologizing. I shouldn't have lost my temper. My behavior towards you and everyone else has been entirely unacceptable."

Bella cradled his face in her hands. She leaned forward and kissed him again. "Don't say that and stop thinking that. Everyone who knows you knows you're…under a lot of pressure."

Edward frowned, unable to release his guilt. "That's no excuse to lash out at loved ones…and Mike." He sighed and pulled her towards his Volvo. "To be perfectly honest, I had forgotten what a hot temper I used to have." He had a black smirk on his face as he reminisced. "My father and I used to get in these terrible rows over me joining the military. Looking back on them, he wasn't opposed to me being a soldier, he was opposed to me being uneducated. He thought that the military could wait." Edward sighed. "I, on the other hand, saw no use for books or blackboards. I had nothing but shiny uniforms and foreign places in my mind." He shrugged. "But I was only a kid back then."

Bella, sliding into the passenger seat, arched her eyebrow at Edward, who was holding the door open for her. "What does that make me?" Her question was meant to be playful and to hopefully lighten his black mood, but it had an opposite effect.

He looked at her in all seriousness, "Much smarter than I ever was." With that last remark, the car lapsed into silence. Bella was thankful to note, however, that Edward drove the speed limit this time.

**TBC**

I'd appreciate it if you'd show some love and let me know what you think. Concrit, beta, and editing tips always welcome.


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